The Doping Question
 

So the Zirbel thread heading off to discuss psuedophedrine led me to consider the fact that I've been taking psuedophedrine on and off for years for my allergy symptoms. (EPO didn't work on my runny nose so I switched over. Har har)

Going to Road and Track Nats this year I've had to actually look at the list of stuff that's banned. It's a big list with a lot of WTF? items.

According to the USAC, any license holder could be subject to testing, and we've seen a couple of instances of amateur racers being found positive recently. In those cases both parties would appear to be deliberately doping but it does beg the question about, say, a 45 y/o Cat4 having to be aware of all the items on the list and to go through the process of a TUE if he/she has a medical condition that requires the use of a steroidal drug, so they can race the Sunday Corporate Parking Lot Criterium.

While the likelihood of my example above being tested is low, rules are rules and they are no less exempted from WADA regs than they are from the "free lap" rule.

So if WADA turns them down do they choose between their health needs or racing?

I race for fun. If it comes down to "race" versus "health" I then quit racing. But I would stick around for training and mentoring.

I think you can still use PE to a point. But they check for overuse. Either way, I'd be careful. It would suck to be kicked off the racing course because of cold medicine.

Like what in specific?

Only thing that really piqued my interest was seeing cannabinoids explicitly banned. In my experience cannabinoids are nearly always performance-limiting on the bike...

I can see this being a problem for older riders. Testosterone supplementation isn't all that uncommon in the over 45 set. I don't know if it's on the list but i was on Prednisone for most of the summer and early fall. I take Asocal daily for my UC, something in that may trigger a positive. But I'm with Mollusk on this one, if it was between being healthy and racing at Nats, I'd pick healthy. I've been sick and it ain't good.

"e.g. glycerol;"

Crap. I was seriously considering trying this; one of my main limiters is that I sweat too much.

No LSD listed, so I guess Dock Ellis is OK.

Alright, aside from the snarky comment, I have a question to add here. How many people here (amateur rank and file only, please, I don't take issue with pro's using them) would be willing to do the altitude tent route to improve their performance?

I ask because I know a cat3 who bought one last year. He definitely got stronger, and had some decent results, but really, all that hassle for a $80 payout and standing on top of a rickety podium?

** Adrenaline associated with local anaesthetic agents or by local administration
(e.g. nasal, ophthalmologic) is not prohibited.

Que?

When they ban PopTarts a lot of us will be F'd.

...and apparently Alcohol is allowed in cycling.

Interesting list the WADA has compiled. So, let me get this straight, alcohol, in competition, is banned for bowling, but not cycling? That seems backwards.

P1. ALCOHOL
Alcohol (ethanol) is prohibited In-Competition only, in the following sports.
Detection will be conducted by analysis of breath and/or blood. The doping
violation threshold (haematological values) is 0.10 g/L.
Aeronautic (FAI)
Archery (FITA)
Automobile (FIA)
Karate (WKF)
Modern Pentathlon (UIPM) for
disciplines involving shooting
Motorcycling (FIM)
Ninepin and Tenpin Bowling (FIQ)
Powerboating (UIM)

Seriously, unless it was my paycheck I'd choose health.

I took a look at the list once, too. It was a total WTF? for me. I can easily see how someone could test positive for some over the counter stuff, but that doesn't excuse it in my mind. I pretty much take what I feel is necessary, med wise, and if I was going to Nationals or somewhere else I expected possible testing I would certainly investigate further into what I was taking and the potential testing problems.
In my case, you need to draw attention to yourself to be tested. Unless they decide to test the slowest at Nationals, I'd be okay.

I wouldn't. My wife would draw the line on something like that and it wouldn't be worth the fight for a ribbon.

Grooving on the texture of your bar tape during a field sprint is never good. Not to mention hindering weight loss ;)

Mostly my WTF? is regarding just what some of this stuff is. My "simple" protein powder has 15 listed ingredients. My sport drink has about as many. Granted I know it's not likely that banned list items are going to show up in either of those two products...as listed ingredients. But I have no idea what dimethylpentylamine is or what it might be found in. And the fact that it might be listed under a secondary or proprietary name can make it a bit daunting.

I don't have a team doctor to check with.

Is there an approved list of food, drinks, supplements, etc floating around somewhere? Perhaps some larger teams have produced a list?

Or, send your sports drink to http://www.consumerlab.com/results/A...s_Approved.asp

Taking a drug that only masks mild to moderate symptoms isn’t really “choosing health” it’s choosing convenience or a lifestyle (think Viagra). I’m fairly sure you would never be denied a TUE for curative medicines / treatments. Possibly with some extreme drugs you may need to take some sick days away from racing but that’s entirely reasonable thing to ask if you’re that ill.

I think their stance on pseudoephedrine is pretty reasonable. You can take the recommended dosage with little to no risk. I take the stuff when I have a cold and I’ve never needed to take a triple dose (180mg) to get relief. If you need to take the maximal daily amount, or are taking it on a frequent basis, you might want to look into other allergy control products.

I'll have to look into it more, but I'm fairly sure you can't be banned for taking something that is a natural food component.

Cyclists take supplements with the mindset of gaining/sustaining/maintaining a performance edge. I feel no sympathy for someone who "accidentally takes mega man from GNC" then gets popped for something on that list. Many of the items on that list are natural and found in the body and food like albumin(the protein in egg whites and also a masking agent) and caffeine but people will still mis-use naturally occurring items to try and gain an edge.

Not for downhill racing.... dude.


A friend of mine tried out an altitude tent for his first race- Mt Evans. His goal was to beat the weenie Californian (me). He didn't, but with more race experience he could probably do it.

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/tag/oxygen-tents/

I know of a cat 1 currently doing this in hopes of getting the results in national caliber races to make some noise in the domestic pro ranks...

I don't really see an issue with it, personally.

I don't have a problem with the altitude tent thing per se, but I would say there is a huge differnce between a cat 3 trying to get on the podium and a cat 1 trying to go pro.

150 micrograms per milliliter in your urine. You would need to know how much you are taking, it's half life, and it's excretion levels. (from my wife who is in the Texas Tech Masters Program for NP)

8.4 EXCRETION
8.4.1 KIDNEY
A) 55% to 75% is excreted unchanged in the urine (USPDI, 1999). Up to 88% of a dose is excreted unchanged in the urine after 36 hours (Bye et al, 1974).
B) Renal excretion is accelerated with acidic urine (USPDI, 1999).

8.5 ELIMINATION HALF-LIFE
8.5.1 PARENT COMPOUND
A) GENERAL
1) 1.9 to 21 hours (urine pH dependent). The half-life was 50 hours in a patient with renal tubular acidosis and persistent alkaline urine (Brater et al, 1980).

Time to sell the team helicopter, I think. You're not coming down for enough Driveways anyway, so the thing just sits there (outside of the wolf hunting trips)

Perhaps alcohol is beneficial for bowling & shooting by calming the nerves ... opposite of a stimulant ?