OtherNoble gasHIF stabiliser (claimed)

Argon Gas

Also known as Ar

Written by enwyReviewed 5 Aug 20262 sources0 comments

Argon is an inert noble gas that, like xenon, was reported in animal studies to activate HIF and potentially raise erythropoietin. It was added to the WADA Prohibited List alongside xenon in 2014 as a HIF activating agent, though evidence for any human performance benefit is very limited.

01 Overview

Argon is a cheap, abundant noble gas studied for neuroprotection and, in some preclinical work, for HIF-1alpha stabilisation and erythropoietin effects. It was listed by WADA together with xenon in 2014 as a HIF activating agent when concern arose about inert gases being used to mimic altitude.\n\nUnlike xenon, argon is not a clinically used anaesthetic at normal pressure and has weaker evidence for any erythropoietic or performance effect in humans. Its main hazard when inhaled at high concentration is displacement of oxygen and asphyxiation. There is no established or safe athletic protocol.

02 Mechanism

Proposed in preclinical work to stabilise HIF-1alpha and modestly influence erythropoietin, though the human relevance is unclear; at high inhaled concentrations it acts mainly as a simple asphyxiant by displacing oxygen.

03 Dosing

Tier	Dose	Route	Notes
Reported doping use	50–75 % Ar in O2	Inhaled	Reported anecdotally; efficacy in humans unproven, asphyxiation risk

04 Effects

Effect	Magnitude	Evidence
Claimed HIF activation / EPO riseSome animal data suggest HIF stabilisation; human erythropoietic or performance benefit is essentially unproven.	Uncertain, likely small	Preclinical
Cheap and widely availableArgon is abundant and inexpensive compared with xenon, the main reason it was mentioned as a potential substitute despite weaker evidence.	Abundant gas	Observational

05 Side effects

Effect	Severity	Frequency	Evidence	Countermeasures
AsphyxiationInhaling high-concentration argon displaces oxygen and can cause rapid hypoxia and loss of consciousness.	Life-threatening	Depends on mixture	Observational
Unproven benefitNo robust evidence of performance benefit in humans.	Mild	Uncharacterised	Preclinical

06 Legal status

United States

Industrial/medical gas

WADA-prohibited as a HIF activating agent (since 2014) · as of Jan 2026

07 References

Noble gases (argon, xenon) and HIF/neuroprotection (review)Medical Gas Research / anaesthesia literature

WADA Prohibited List — S2 (xenon and argon)World Anti-Doping Agency

08 Discussion0 comments

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This page is reference information, not medical advice. Doses and protocols are documented as they appear in the clinical literature and in practice — describing them is not a recommendation to use them. Countermeasures listed here are not a substitute for a physician. Legal status varies by jurisdiction and changes.