Condition
Chronic Mountain Sickness (CMS)
Chronic mountain sickness, or Monge's disease, develops over months or years at high altitude, when the body overproduces red blood cells to offset low oxygen. Iron has the strongest evidence among supplements, rated moderate across about 350 people, with vitamin D behind it at limited. Balance matters, since too much iron can push red cell counts higher, and the evidence for other options, including maca, is limited at best.
- Supplements studied
- 1
- Graded outcomes
- 1
- Trials
- 1
- People studied
- 197
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood glucose No effect | NoneNo effect | 197 people | ||||
| Chronic Mountain Sickness Symptoms | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 197 people | |||
Studies that measured chronic mountain sickness symptoms | ||||||
| Libido | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 197 people | |||
| Blood Pressure | Improves (the measure goes down) | 197 people | ||||
| Fatigue Symptoms | Improves (the measure goes down) | 197 people | ||||
| Hemoglobin | Improves (the measure goes up) | 197 people | ||||
| Quality of Life | Improves (the measure goes up) | 197 people | ||||
| Subjective Well-Being | Improves (the measure goes up) | 197 people | ||||
Key findings
- Blood glucose
The Chronic Mountain Sickness Support protocol
2 primary supplements · 7 supporting supplements
Shop the evidence-backed picks
Support alongside medical care. These supplements are not a treatment for Chronic Mountain Sickness (CMS). If you are being treated for it, talk to your clinician before adding one: supplements can interact with medicines.
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Studies cited
2 studies from PubMed
- A pilot investigation into the effect of maca supplementation on physical activity and sexual desire in sportsmen
- Acceptability, Safety, and Efficacy of Oral Administration of Extracts of Black or Red Maca (Lepidium meyenii) in Adult Human Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study