Impact of intravenous iron or exogenous erythropoietin on hemoglobin mass, exercise performance, and acute mountain sickness during altitude acclimatization.

Chronic exposure to high altitude leads to increases in hemoglobin mass (Hbmass), which may improve exercise performance and decrease acute mountain sickness (AMS) symptoms. We evaluated the influence of intravenous iron or erythropoietin (EPO) treatment on Hbmass, exercise performance, and AMS during a 14-day exposure to 3094 m. Thirty-nine participants (12F) completed the study conducted in Eugene, Oregon (sea level (SL), 130 m) and Leadville, Colorado (3094 m).