Expedition Himalayan Venture 18

THE APPROACH

This project included three studies that were completed by trekkers and mountaineers during this high-altitude expedition to the Himalayas, Nepal.

Study one investigated the effects of dietary nitrate supplementation in the form of beetroot juice on physical performance, exercise tolerance and susceptibility to acute mountain sickness (AMS) at high-altitude.

Study two investigated whether beetroot juice would reduce bowel inflammation and associated gastric intestinal distress symptoms. Both studies were designed as randomised control trials, with researchers in-country measuring the key variables throughout the expedition. For example, participants were monitored daily for symptoms of AMS, heart rate, arterial oxygen saturation. Physical performance was measured at different altitudes during the expedition. Participants kept a diary of any signs of tummy upset and anyone who suffered from GI discomfort also had to take a sample of their “stool” analysed for markers of bowel inflammation.

The third study investigated whether Static Apnoea training (Breath hold) prior to the expedition offered any benefits in preparing individuals to visit high altitude.

THE IMPACT

This project established that beetroot juice supplementation can attenuate the expected reduction in physical performance as individual's ascent to high-altitude. In addition, signs and symptoms of GI distress and bowl inflammation increases at high-altitude, but beetroot juice has no effect. Similarly, Apnoea training was not effective in reducing susceptibility to AMS and nor did it improve physical performance compared with a control.