Beet Juice Beats Difficulties at Altitude

When we were in Peru at the incredible altitude of the town of Puno on Lake Titicaca, the highest navicable lake in the world, way above the elevation of Machu Pichu, people were dropping from altitude sickness. The local remedy was coca leaves. Now research has found that beet juice can help the body deal with altitude. . . .

This double-blind study found that beet juice helps increase blood vessel function at altitude by providing a shot of the nitrates that help blood to flow throughout the body.

When people were at high altitude, they suffered a reduction in the function of their blood vessels. But three hours after some of them were given beet juice and the rest a placebo, the ones who got the beet juice had their blood vessel function restored to normal.

Previous studies have shown that beet juice is capable of doing similar work, helping people who are exercising (J Applied Physiol 2009;107:1144-55; Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2010;299:R1121-31).

So, if you’re planning a trip in the mountains at high altitude, pack a bottle of beet juice.

Other natural aids that have been shown to help fight altitude sickness include Ginkgo biloba and reishi mushroom.

Nitiric Oxide 2015;50:58