Adam’s Journal
During a hiking trip, a friend relayed a piece of advice she’d received: To prevent altitude sickness, take an antacid. Now, when she and her husband head to the mountains, they chew on Tums.
Is there any merit to this approach?
Dr. Scofield Prescribes
Hmm. This was a new one for me. But when I searched the medical literature, I found an old study that sought to answer this question.
In the early 1980s, researchers gave 45 climbers who were ascending Mount Rainier, a 14,400-foot peak in Washington state, either an antacid or a placebo. The antacid was chemically similar to Rolaids and Tums.
All 45 subjects climbed to at least 11,000 feet, and 31 reached the summit. Of those who didn’t reach the summit, most attributed their failure to acute mountain sickness, which is some combination of headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, elevated heart rate and shortness of breath.
The researchers found no difference in rates of mountain sickness between those who had taken antacids and the placebo group. The scientists also saw no differences between the two groups when it came to various vital signs they measured.
This was a small study done more than four decades ago, so I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that over-the-counter antacids could help prevent altitude sickness. But at this point, there’s no evidence they do.
If you’re looking for more tried-and-true ways to prevent altitude sickness, a 2012 study from Stanford University found that ibuprofen reduced its likelihood by 26%.
It is also well documented that a pair of prescription medicines, dexamethasone and acetazolamide, can prevent mountain sickness. However, each of these medications comes with side effects: Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid that can cause insomnia, mood changes, upset stomach and a host of other issues, while acetazolamide (Diamox) can trigger drowsiness, headache, dizziness and other issues.
If you’re going to altitude, be sure to drink plenty of fluids. For acclimatization, it’s best to avoid alcohol, and a high-carbohydrate diet can be helpful. If you begin to feel dizzy, nauseated or experience headaches, hold off on ascending any higher – and consider getting to lower altitudes if your symptoms continue or worsen.
If you’ve had some issues in the past and are headed to altitude, you might consider taking some ibuprofen as a preventative: You don’t need a prescription, and its side effects are minimal. For those who’ve had more severe symptoms, a discussion with your physician about prescription medications could be worthwhile.
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Adam Cohen is OMRF’s senior vice president and general counsel. Dr. Hal Scofield is a physician-scientist at OMRF, where he is a professor in the Arthritis & Clinical Immunology Research Program. Scofield also serves as Associate Chief of Staff for Research at the Oklahoma City Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
