“Creative Athleticism”

Call it “creative athleticism.” Or call it “drug attempts to improve performance.” This is Dr. Steven Andrew Davis, Speaking of Health. With the Olympic torch lighting the way, weight-lifters and other athletes will stoop to some pretty imaginative – and ultimately, dangerous – drug avenues to better performance. Consider, for example, the old and newly-refined practice of “blood doping.” Here the athlete may have previously stored his or her own blood cells and re-injected them before an event. The intention: to enhance oxygen-carrying capacity of their systems for improved endurance. Now doctors have legitimate uses of hemoglobin-based solutions, other infusions and even newer, genetically recombined blood cell treatments – and some athletes try these fancy, therapy-designed products to enhance performance. A – they may not work. And B – some can cause serious side effects, like blood clots or heart failure.

How about those athletes who, knowing that intense exercise, like sprints, creates acid-state overload in some muscles? They posit that the alkaline drug sodium bicarbonate, taken before their event, can ease their fatigue. A – some studies show it does not work. And B – the resulting alkaline blood state can lead to important side effects, like slowed excretion of some drugs and intestinal problems.

Some athletes even horse around with medicines legally available only for those animals – veterinary products whose side-effects may increase lean body mass, but also can cause serious heart and bloodstream-mineral problems.

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