Diamox in the mountains: higher oxygen saturation, but 32% less time to exhaustion
Acetazolamide (Diamox; sold in Russia as Diakarb) is what people pack for Elbrus and high-altitude trail races to keep altitude sickness at bay. A double-blind study from October 2026 showed the flip side: at a simulated 3800 metres, a preventive dose raised oxygen saturation but cut time to exhaustion from 365 to 250 seconds. We look at why this happens, what older studies say and where doping control comes in.
Andrey Leskovβ’
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