Fact or Myth - Diamox Masks Symptoms of Altitude Sickness

This is a stone hard Myth.

Diamox, also called Acetazolmide, is a drug you can take which speeds up the acclimatisation process. When you take Diamox it makes you urinate more as it's a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, and when you urinate, you urinate bicarbonate. The blood is therefore made more acidic and your breathing rate increases, resulting in the body taking in more oxygen.

Sounds great, right? Well, there are of course side effects to taking Diamox, and not everyone is able to take it. If you plan on taking Diamox when heading to altitude, you should do your research in advance and also contact your GP.

Please note, if you decide to come on expedition with us, then we leave it as a personal choice to each individual if they wish to take Diamox.