A true detection of altitude sickness, the hypoxia test is reserved for mountaineers who have a high altitude trekking project but also for athletes who train there. The test is not mandatory, but agencies may request medical certification.
Welcome to INSEP
Between athletes, medical staff and visitors, the National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance (INSEP) is teeming with furtive passages and the comings and goings of patients and sports doctors. And for good reason; the 28 hectares of this land nestled in the heart of the Bois de Vincennes are entirely dedicated to innovative support for athletes. There you can find (among other things) laboratories, a boarding school and even a dental health center at the medical center.
photo credit: Louise Guyonnet
This is also where Jean-Paul Richalet, “mountain doctor” and former professor of physiology, exercises his functions. In his office, on Thursday afternoons, he gives volunteer patients his famous hypoxia test, which he created, “More than thirty years ago”.
The effect of the Inoxtag documentary on the popularity of the hypoxia test
And recently, his test reached a whole new notoriety: 26 million people watched YouTuber Inoxtag's examination take place, before he began his expedition to Everest. The moment is crucial: in the event of a formal contraindication, it is the young boy's dream that collapses.
The effect of the documentary is concrete, and since its broadcast, numerous appointments have been made with the aim of also taking the test. However, even if Jean-Paul Richalet is aware of the incredible number of views and the visibility of his sequence, he enjoys it more than anything else. “I still haven't been jumped on in the metro or in the street!”
In his office in any case, it is impossible not to notice the machine dedicated to the hypoxia test: an electric bike equipped with electrodes. The patient will have to climb up and wear an oxygen mask, the flow of which, composed of a gas mixture, is controlled by the doctor. During the test, the oxygen content provided will be the same as that relative to the summit of Mont Blanc, i.e. 4,800 meters.
photo credit: Louise Guyonnet
Purpose of Hypoxia Testing and Symptoms of Altitude Sickness
The objective of the test is to “detect a risk of acute mountain sickness”, according to a press release from the Nantes University Hospital. Often, it is mountaineers who come for consultation, with a trekking program which they submit to the specialist. Based on the test result, the program can potentially be re-evaluated. “They want to know if they can tolerate the climb of Kilimanjaro (5895 meters, editor’s note) or a trek in Nepal”.
While most of them are novices, some of the patients are mountaineers who have been to high altitudes before but contracted altitude sickness. The latter results in the appearance of several symptoms: headaches, loss of appetite, fatigue, etc. Although they may be viable, it is possible that they degenerate if pulmonary or brain edema forms. “Loss of balance, hallucination, coma… you can die from it”.
However, the relationship to altitude is not the same for each individual, hence the existence of this test. This difference would be linked “to small sensors, chemoreceptors, which are sensitive to oxygen. As soon as you increase in altitude, there is less oxygen passing into the blood. These sensors are alerted, they send information to the brain. By reflex, breathing accelerates and so does the heart rate to capture more oxygen. For some people, these sensors are less sensitive”, explains the doctor.
photo credit: Louise Guyonnet
What can you do to better enjoy your stay in the high mountains?
When a person suffers from altitude sickness, the lack of oxygen will disrupt several functions, particularly the permeability of leaking blood vessels. This compresses the brain and causes headaches, or a slightly puffy face. To assess his condition in the field, Jean-Paul Richalet established a system of points correlated to potential symptoms. Two points for vomiting, one point for headache, three points for shortness of breath without physical activity… More than 6 points and it's compulsory to go back down!
Fortunately, even if altitude sickness is inherent to each individual, Jean-Paul Richalet specifies that certain advice can allow a person to better experience their stay at altitude:
- Gradually increase in altitude (acclimatization).
- Respect the 400 meter rule: from 3,000 meters, do not climb more than 400 meters between two consecutive nights.
Over the last 20 years, a lot of research has been carried out on this famous altitude sickness, so the new knowledge acquired has been considerable. However, there are still things to study and discover, as Jean-Paul Richalet indicates. Is altitude sickness genetic? Would a premature baby be more likely to be very sensitive to altitude? “We're moving more slowly, but there are always things to discover!” enthuses the doctor.
At the end of September, Jean-Paul Richalet went to a refuge in the Alps to see the impacts linked to global warming on the mountains: melting glaciers, etc. In addition to his professional activity, the doctor remains a great lover of the mountains, which he would of course prefer to be immaculate of all waste left by Man and all alterations linked to human activities.
With an unwavering passion for local news, Christopher leads our editorial team with integrity and dedication. With over 20 years’ experience, he is the backbone of Wouldsayso, ensuring that we stay true to our mission to inform.
