What is xenon gas? Why the controversy? There is still no scientific clarity on the use of xenon gas. Some researchers say that xenon gas increases the production of a protein called 'erythropoietin'. This protein helps fight hypoxia (lack of oxygen to the body). They claim that it increases the number of red blood cells, thereby improving oxygen transport in the body. However, many scientists believe that more in-depth studies are needed on this. This is now leading to controversy. Many mountaineering experts have strongly criticized the use of xenon gas. "According to current scientific evidence, there is no evidence that inhalation of xenon improves performance on mountains, and it can be dangerous if used incorrectly," the international Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) warned in a statement in January. "Acclimatization is a complex process that affects various organs such as the brain, lungs, heart, kidneys, and blood. Acclimatization or performance cannot be improved with a single drug," the UIAA clarified.
Climbing Everest in five days is a record. However, this is only a record achieved in the himalayas without acclimatization. The record for the fastest ascent of Mount Everest still belongs to Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa. He reached the summit from base camp in 2003 in just 10 hours and 56 minutes. However, the Sherpa achieved this after acclimatising on the mountain. The Zenon-based team, along with five Sherpa guides and a cameraman, reached the 8,849-metre (29,032-foot) peak on wednesday morning. "They started in the afternoon of May 16 and reached the summit on the morning of May 21, taking four days and about 18 hours," expedition organiser Lukas Furtenbach told the BBC. The four ex-servicemen, who include Alistair Cornes, the minister for Veterans Affairs, slept in special tents for six weeks before leaving for Nepal. The tents help them acclimatise to low oxygen levels. They then reached Everest Base Camp from Kathmandu and immediately began their climb. Like other climbers, they also used supplemental oxygen during the expedition.Typically, climbers travel up and down between base camp and high camps for weeks before the final summit. This is necessary to acclimatize to the oxygen levels on the mountain. Above 8,000 meters, in an area known as the 'death zone', there is only a third of the oxygen available at sea level. But this british team did not follow such an acclimatization process. Is this a new trend in the mountaineering world? Adrian Ballinger, who is leading another expedition team climbing Everest from the Chinese side, also gives his clients pre-acclimatization training using methods such as hypoxic tents to reduce their time on the mountain. But he opposes the use of xenon gas. Now that the british team has completed this revolutionary Everest climb, expedition organizers hope that the method could be used by other mountaineers as well. Some are concerned.
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