Measures of uncertain benefit in prevention of altitude illness

Some companies offer hypoxic tents in which people can sleep and exercise with the aim of acclimatising before travel to high altitude. Data on their effects is limited. Short exposures to hypoxia of 15 minutes to a few hours are unlikely to aid acclimatisation; exposures of more than 8 hours per day for over 7 days are more likely to yield benefit. It is also important that the use of tents does not disrupt sleep before high-altitude travel.

Treatments that are not recommended because of lack of evidence for efficacy include inhaled budesonide, gingko biloba, paracetamol and coca leaves.