Athletes are thought to benefit from the use of xenon gas.
A colleague of mine suffers from chronic sports related injuries and is a real sports fanatic. I was asked a few weeks ago about the athletic benefits of xenon gas, which had been discussed in some online forums as a performance enhancing drug that can support injury recovery. I am always surprised by the pace of innovation of drugs in sports. The World Anti-Doping Agency banned it, so it must be effective. I took a closer look at the history.
It might seem odd to use a gas that is more likely to be associated with headlights. If you haven't looked at the periodic table in a long time, xenon is a noble gas.
The noble gasses. There is a source
Non-reactive means that these elements don't usually form compounds with other elements. They are tasteless and non-flammable because of their chemical composition. In trace amounts, xenon is present in the environment It can be taken out of the air through a process called Distillation. It's a gas in the body. More widespread use of Xenon seems to be limited to its cost because it is said to be a very effective general anesthesia.
The result of the oxygen deprivation is that the production of HIF-1 appears to be activated. Erythropoietin stimulation increases the production of red blood cells, which in turn increases the capacity of the blood to carry oxygen. It is similar to altitude training or sleeping in oxygen-deprivation environments if this is the primary mechanism of action.
The Economist claimed before the Winter Olympics in Russia that it was being used to increase athletic performance.
Xenon works its magic by activating production of a protein called Hif-1 alpha. This acts as a transcription factor: a chemical switch that turns on production of a variety of other proteins, one of which is EPO. Artificially raising levels of EPO, by injecting synthetic versions of the hormone or by taking so-called Hif stabilizers (drugs that discourage the breakdown of Hif-1 alpha), is illegal under the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Other methods of boosting the hormone, however, are permissible—and that fact has not gone unnoticed by the Russian sports authorities.
Russian athletes admitted to using xenon after the Olympics, in which Russia did very well. Despite not having an effective test, xenon was put on the banned substance list by the WADA. The benefits have been studied scientifically.
A 2016 trial randomized 24 volunteers to a mixture of air and oxygen for 45 minutes. Exposure to xenon increased erythropoietin level. The purpose of the trial was to understand the effects of long- and short-term use of xenon on blood parameters. The methodology was developed by communicating with Russian trainers. 22 people were recruited for the trial. Even though the doses weren't enough to induce anesthesia, the data safety monitoring board included experience anesthesiologists who had used xenon. The trial consisted of three phases. In Phase 1a, with seven participants, three different concentrations of xenon were evaluated in a non-blinded way. The preferred dose from Phase 1 was used in Phase 1b. In Phase 2, recreational runners were exposed to xenon in a single-blind way. Athletic performance and blood parameters were assessed.
Inhaled xenon causes a small elevation in erythropoietin and blood volume. Athletic performance did not help. It wasn't clear whether the mixed effects were due to the regimen or counterbalancing effects.
In conclusion, while acute xenon inhalation of various concentrations caused small but prolonged increases in EPO, short-term daily exposure did not provide superior benefits beyond an acute dose. Although there was no indication of accelerated erythropoiesis in response to xenon exposure, a short-term daily dosing protocol induced significant increases in plasma volume. However, this physiological adaptation was transient and was not observed after chronic (4-wk) exposure to xenon. Xenon inhalation did not increase fitness or improve athletic performance, and, given the adverse symptomology associated with dosing, our findings do not support the use of xenon as an erythropoiesis-modulating agent in sports.
The idea of athletes sacrificing their health in order to get an advantage is both fascinating and horrifying. Since xenon was banned by WADA, some evidence has emerged that paints a mixed picture of whether inhaling the gas enhances athletic performance. There is no evidence that xenon can be used for recreational purposes or that it can be used for injury recovery. The potential benefits are not worth the risks and costs compared to legal methods of boosting erythropoietin.
The photo is under a CC license.
Scott is looking at the profession of pharmacy through the lens of science-based medicine. He wants to improve the cost-effective use of drugs. Scott has a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Toronto. He has worked in both community and hospital settings. He is a registered pharmacy in Canada. Scott doesn't have conflicts of interests. Scott does not represent the opinions of any current or former employers or organizations that he may be associated with. Information should not be used as a substitute for consultation with a licensed and accredited health professional.
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