Better Drugs, Better Athletes

Better drugs, better athletes? Stay tuned. This is Dr. Steven Andrew Davis, Speaking of Health. The Olympic Games are right around the corner, and so are the headlines and stories about performance enhancing drugs. Who’s taking what; who got disqualified; what medals were taken away?

This is not even a predictable sub-plot – it’s part of the main plot now. While heading the list of performance-enhancing drugs are anabolic-androgenic steroids, other drugs can influence performance too. And they are not steroids; and it can be hard to detect some of them.

In timely fashion, The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics reviewed the various performance-enhancing drugs. Some are stimulants, so-called “sympathomimetic amines and other central-nervous system stimulants” which foster weight loss and increased energy, speed and endurance. Unfortunately, these drugs, and dietary supplements which contain them, can also cause dangerous high blood pressure, seizures, strokes, heart attacks, heat stroke and psychosis.

Other drugs have virtually the opposite impact on athletes, some of who have resorted to using beta-blockers – time-honored blood pressure medicines – to slow their heart rates and reduce nervousness or tremor. Various non-steroid hormones are also abused by the inspiring athlete. Human growth hormone has some anabolic, or muscle building effects, but can cause muscle, joint and cardiac problems. Even insulin – the diabetes wonder-drug, has been used by body-builders to inhibit muscle breakdown. Insulin, though, can seriously backfire when overdosed.

For a copy of this script, access our web site, speakingofhealth.com. Speaking of Health, I’m Dr. Steven Andrew Davis for CBS News.

Ref: The Medical Letter. Vol. 46. July 19. 2004