Coca Leaves: An Age-Old Remedy for Altitude Sickness

Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador in South America are at high altitudes. Some cities are located at altitudes in the latter half of 3,000 meters above sea level. Therefore, it is said that not only tourists but also local people suffer from altitude sickness.

To combat altitude sickness, they routinely chew and eat coca leaves as they are, or make a tea and drink it. Coca leaves also relieve fatigue and prevent drowsiness, and it is said that this is a traditional custom that has existed for a long time. Tourists can also eat coca leaves as usual. (It is illegal to bring coca into many countries.)

As you know, coca is a plant native to South America that is used to make cocaine. The concentration of cocaine is not high enough to eat the leaves, so it is relatively safe. When the coca components are extracted from the coca leaves and concentrated, it becomes a narcotic.