What is technological doping?

Today we are going to talk about technological doping. We are made a presentation of What's technological doping and some examples of these on ciclism.



Thanks you for reading, see you on our next post, and don't forget to write us in comments what do you think about the post and what do you think about the question.

Bibliography:
https://www.elespectador.com/noticias/ciencia/asi-funciona-el-dopaje-tecnologico-esta-amenazando-al-c-articulo-641783
https://www.xataka.com/otros/el-dopaje-tecnologico-en-el-ciclismo-existe-y-hay-mucha-innovacion-en-el

Diuretics and Masking Agents

Diuretics are products which help to remove body fluids. They cause a lost of water due to partial paralysis of water reabsorption. Powerful diuretics can increase orine flow about 6 liters per day.

Masking agents are compounds which are taken with the purpose of hide or mask the presence of others ilegal drugs during the antidoping tests. Masking agents have the potential of ruin or hide the prohibited substance in orine. For that reason, diuretics can be considered as masking agents due to orine dilution that give rise to smaller levels of the prohibited substance when is excrete by the body.

Diuretics and others masking agents has the 5º position among the most used drugs of all adverse analyzed results in the world. They are prohibited both inside and outside the competition. In the following image we can see specifically which are prohibited by WADA:

Kidney is the main organ trough these drugs are excreted.  Chemically, diuretics are a group of compunds which stimulate or inhibit several hormones that are naturally present in the body for regulate the orine production by kidneys.

Athletes use diuretics with the purpose of lose weigth quickly, specillay in that sports classified by weigth categories, and/or to cover the presence of other prohibited substances. However, the fluid losses through orine causes by this kind of drugs can lead to the depletion of intravascular volume. For that reason, an overage diuretics use generally drive to dehydration and hypovolemia, which is one of the main causes of hypokalemia. This situation may produce effecst as hypotension, muscular weakness, muscle cramps, irregular neurological functioning, cardiac arrhythmias or even heart attacks.

Dianabol - Advantages and side effects.

Metandienone, also known clinically as methandienone or methandrostenolone, and commercialised under the brand name Dianabol or Naposim, is one of the famoust androgen anabolic steroid (AAS).  

Dianabol had his peak in the 1970s, and it is taken by mouth, although also can be injected. Nowadays, it is still used due to his quick effects in gains of muscle mass, is easy to get and is cheaper than the most steroids.

For these reasons, Dianabol is used for physique and performance enhancing purposes, mainly in bodybuilders or strength athletes. It is believed to be the most widely used AAS for such aims but today and historically. On the other hand, therapeutic use of Dianabol has been aimed to the treatment of hypogonadism and osteoporosis. 

Dianabol working deacresing cortisone which is propitious for muscle mass enhancing due to the catabolic effects of the corticoids hormones. Increase blood testosterone concentration and provide feelings of wellbeing, improve appetite and mood, and also speed muscle recovery.

Obviusly, this steroid also have important side effects. It is commong that it is transformed into estrogen, that will cause gynecomastia and fluid retention. Since decreasing the natural testosterone production, can generate testicular atrophy. Moreover, Dianabol is a product strongly toxic for the liver, so that more likely the Dianabol consum could result in liver damage. Besides all this, the Dianabol intake can cause oily skin, acne, seborrhea, increased facial/body hair growth, scalp hair loss and virilization, typical androgenic side effects. 

Cases of Doping in CrossFit.

In a previous post, we show that doping are banned in Crossfit. If you haven´t ready it yet, below we leave the link to these post.

https://thehiddenfaceofperformance.blogspot.com.es/2018/05/are-drugs-prohibited-in-crossfit-games.html

Today we will show you some cases of doping that have ocurred in CrossFit. Acording to Crossfit rules about doping, this are the banned sustances:

• Anabolic Agents

• Street Drugs

• Diuretics and Other Masking Agents

• Peptide Hormones and Analogues

• Anti-Estrogens and Metabolic Modulators

• Beta-2 Agonists (permitted with prescription and TUE, and through inhalation only)

Some examples of these type of sustances are:

• Anabolic Agents (sometimes listed as a chemical formula, such as 3,6,17-androstenetrione): boldenone; clenbuterol; DHEA (7-Keto); nandrolone; stanozolol; testosterone; methasterone; androstenedione; norandrostenedione; methandienone; etiocholanolone; trenbolone; tibolone; zeranol; etc.

• Street Drugs: heroin; cocaine

• Diuretics and Other Masking Agents: bumetanide; chlorothiazide; desmopressin; furosemide; hydrochlorothiazide; probenecid; spironolactone (canrenone); triamterene; trichlormethiazide; etc.

• Peptide Hormones and Analogues: growth hormone (hGH); human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG); erythropoietin (EPO); growth factors and growth factor modulators; etc.

• Anti-Estrogens: anastrozole; tamoxifen; formestane; 3,17-dioxo-etiochol-1,4,6-triene (ATD); etc.

• Beta-2 Agonists: fenoterol; formoterol; salbutamol; salmeterol; etc.

Now, in this presentation, we will show some of the public cases of doping in CrossFit.

Thanks you for reading, see you on our next post, and don't forget to write us in comments what do you think about the post and what do you think about the question.

Bibliography:
http://golddumbbell.com/3-nuevos-casos-positivo-crossfit-2016/
https://www.hsnstore.com/blog/positivo-por-dopaje-en-crossfit-ricky-garard-pierde-su-tercer-puesto-en-los-games/

Knowing the Gene Doping.

The gene is the biologic unit of the heredity and they are simplified codes for the protein synthesis. In some cases, these genes are defective and have wrong information that entail a lack or viceverse in the protein synthesis. In this join, the genetic therapy will try to repair the defective gene. But in the same way, it will be possible modify the genes with the purpose of achieve a biological advantange that can enhance the sport performance.

That fact cause that the WADA considered the gene doping as a ilegal method in the prohibid list. The following procedures are consider by the WADA as prohibited, since they have the potential to enhance performance:

1. The use of polymers of nucleic acids or nucleic acid analogues.

 2. The use of gene editing agents designed to alter genome sequences and/or the transcriptional or epigenetic regulation of gene expression.

3. The use of normal or genetically modified cells

However, is not easy to detec that genes have been modified. In the physical activity context there are several genes that carry the information of enhance endurance (EPO) or proteins which increase the muscle mass (Growth hormone).

Nowadays, the genetic therapy is not aprobed medically since could deliver in nocive effect. In a short term, this method can produce hard inmune-respone that could cause the death or the development of diseases as leukemia. In the long term, due to the lack of control of the gene expression, the integrates genes could produce substances althoug they are not required, which could increase the risk of tumours or lead to cardiovascular problems.

Are drugs prohibited in CrossFit Games?

What is CrossFit?

Acoording to CrossFit website, "CrossFit is a fitness regimen developed by Greg Glassman over several decades. Glassman, CrossFit's Founder and CEO, was the first person in history to define fitness in a meaningful, measurable way: increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains. He then created a program specifically designed to improve fitness and health.

What is CrossFit Games?

From CrossFit, in 2007 were born the CrossFit Games, a new competition dedicated to find the fittes person of the earth. They defines to themself how "the world’s premier test to find the Fittest on Earth™. They are world-renowned as a grueling test for the toughest athletes on Earth as well as a thrilling experience for spectators."

There are many controversies about if the doping is permitted on CrossFit Games, due to the great musculature and physical capacity of the athletes. In addition to this, Crossfit is considered as a spectacle sport, so the fact of having a higher performance (achieved through banned substances) would increase the number of spectators and the spectacle played.

But, it's doping really permitted?

The answer is no. In CrossFit website, we can found the rules of CrossFit Games, and a special section, dedicated to doping. This section says that doping is completely banned and if anyone on or out of the competition use this banned sustances, may suffer some of these sanctions:

• Disqualification from the competition and loss of results.
• Loss of results from previous competitions.
• Forfeit or required return of any prizes, awards or money.
• Suspension from participating in future CrossFit-sanctioned events. The length of this suspension will be determined by CrossFit Inc. on a case-by-case basis and may include a lifetime ban from all CrossFit-sanctioned or sponsored events. 
• Public disclosure.

In fact, there have already been cases of doping in CrossFit, which have had their corresponding sanctions, such as the withdrawal of certain titles, the prohibition of competing in the competition for a certain time, etc.

If you want to know more about the rules about doping in CrossFit Games, below we leave you a PDF with the complete rules about this.

Thanks you for reading, see you on our next post, and don't forget to write us in comments what do you think about the post and what do you think about the question.

Bibliography:

https://games.crossfit.com/about-the-games

https://www.crossfit.com/what-is-crossfit
https://games.crossfit.com/drug-policy

Why Chris Froome can run the Turn of Italy after testing positive for doping in 2017?

On Septembre 7, 2017, in stage 18 of "Vuelta a España", Chris Froome exceeded the allowed limit of Ventolín, equivalent to doping by sulbatamol, which was made public in december. Chris Froome suffers from asthma, so he needed to take Ventolín during the stage. Ventolín can be taken, but without exceed the limit of 1000 nanograms, considered already "adverse result" and not "therapeutic use" of the substance.

This is not the first time of these type of cases, previously, other cyclist like Miguel Indurain on 1994's Tour de L'Oise, Alex Zülle on 1993's "Vuelta al País Vasco", Igor González de Galdeano on 2002's Tour of France, Alessandro Petacchi On 2007's Turn of Italy...

Until now, no decision have been taken about the final resolution of this case, so Chris still has the Turn of 2017 on his palmarés, and he can continue racing. As yet Chris has to defend that he use the salbutamol only for medical reasons and there is no sanction in between, Chris can still keep racing. Giro's director, Mauro Vegni, published that he can't stop him, since he would be infringing his right to race.

In the case of Chris it's prohibed to race and finally the sentence shows that he take the sulbutamol only for medical reasons, Cossa Nostra would have to pay a millionaire compensation.

Team Sky, team in which Chris competes, has said in its initial statement that “There is considerable evidence to show that there are significant and unpredictable variations in the way salbutamol is metabolised and excreted. As a result, the use of permissible dosages of salbutamol can sometimes result in elevated urinary concentrations, which require explanation. A wide range of factors can affect the concentrations, including the interaction of salbutamol with food or other medications, dehydration and the timing of salbutamol usage before the test.”

It's seems that no resolution has been taken in short time and Chris will could finish the Giro. Although there is still if these resolution is positive or negative to Chris, and know if he can continue to own the title of Vuelta a España or will be remove from his record.

Bibliography: 
http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/everything-you-need-to-know-about-chris-froomes-salbutamol-case-362848
https://www.elespanol.com/deportes/ciclismo/20180502/chris-froome-correr-giro-italia-positivo-dopaje/304220395_0.html

Cannabidiol stop to be a ilegal susbtance

Welcome everyone again, today we are going continue talking about the Cannabinoids, concretely about the Cannabidiol (CBD). 

As we talked in previous posts, Cannabidiol is one of the most important compounds of Cannabis Sativa. This substance was considered as a ilegal substance until the previous January, 1st 2018, when the new prohibited substances list was announced. This new was announced by the WADA on September, 29th 2017, and was the most important change on the 2018 official prohibited list.

According to the WADA, "Cannabidiol is no longer prohibited. Synthetic cannabidiol is not a cannabimimetic; however, cannabidiol extracted from cannabis plants may also contain varying concentrations of THC, which remains a prohibited substance."

It is truth that antiinflamatory properties of Cannabidiol have been known for a long time (Nagarkatte, P, 2010). Thank to these properties, CBD is becoming a popular alternative to the opiates for elite athletes. Is the chase of the fighter Nate Diaz, who use CBD because not produce secondary effects and it is not adictive although it is taken for long periods of time. Moreover, CBD could reduce substantially the recovery time of athletes due to his antiinflamatory properties.

On the other hand, the fact of this cannabinoid is a great analgesic involve that help with imsomnia and even can help with apetite. That is so important for elite athletes since a better sleep time means a better recovery, and in most chases they have to eat large amounts of food.

This change of CBD in the prohibited list supposed that any athlete could use freely CBD as a palliative or antiinflamatory without worrying about be expelled of competitions or suffer hard secondary effects. 

‘’No negative’’ result of Paulo Garcés doping test.

After the sixth league day in the ‘’Campeonato Nacional’’ of Chile, when the team Deportes Antofagasta had to play against O’Higgins, one of the players gave ‘’no negative’’ results in a doping test. The protagonist of this story is Paulo Garcés, goalkeeper of the ‘’pumas’’, as usually is known his team, Deportes Antofagasta.

According to the goalkeeper, the substance is a pill that he consumed with the only aim to lose fat. That substance was autorized by the doctors of the team and is very known in in the world, but, nevertheless, they did not know that it is in the prohibited substances list. If you do not know anything about this team, you can see a video of a match:

Paulo Garcés talked with a local TV program called ‘’24 Horas Deportes’’, he said that he took a nutritional suplemment and informed of it to the medical team. He added that he was calmed, searching for the best defense to talk about that. Also, his wife, Joyce Castiblanco, wanted to give her opinion in the social media, saying that the club autorized him and the faimily is confident to the positive result of the case.

Nowadays, the goalkeeper can not play for his team becauses is suspended, and is waiting for the results.

What do you think about this type of doping? Do you think that Garcés should be suspended for a time or the medical team have the responsability?

Thanks for reading us,

Sergio Torreblanca.

Bibliography:

http://www.24horas.cl/deportes/futbol-nacional/paulo-garces-dio-positivo-en-control-antidopaje-en-partido-del-campeonato-nacional-2707055

http://www.24horas.cl/deportes/futbol-nacional/paulo-garces-rompe-el-silencio-tras-doping-positivo-no-tengo-nada-que-esconder-2708206

http://www.adnradio.cl/noticias/sociedad/joyce-castiblanco-por-doping-de-paulo-garces-fue-autorizado-por-el-doctor-del-club/20180510/nota/3748361.aspx

A hard reverse for Argentine cycling

Today, six Argentine cyclists have been accused of doping by the UCI (International Cycling Union) after the positive results in the tests which had been done on January and February, when the accused men were competing in the competitions ‘’Vuelta a San Juan’’ and ‘’Doble Bragado’’.

The UCI communicated to the media that Gonzalo Najar and Gastón Emiliano Javier gave positive results, three cyclists gave ‘’no-negative results’’ and another refused to do the test. The first of them tested positive for CERA (Continuous erythropoietin receptor activator), that had been used by others known athletes to improve their performance. Here you can see some of them:

The rider was surprised in a sample collected the first day of the race, when later, casually, he won the queen stage by nearly two minuts between the second rider and him. Also, his teammate Gastón has been suspended for a doping with Anabolic Androgenic Steroids. 

Both riders are now suspended, and their team, SEP de San Juan, is waiting for a decision from the UCI, that could decide the suspension from 15 to 45 days, as the Article 7.12.1 of the UCI Anti-Doping Rules says.

Article 7.12.1 UCI Anti-Doping Rules

Do you think that this is a hard reverse for Argentine cycling? Do you agree with the possible suspension?

Thanks for reading us,

Sergio Torreblanca.

Bibliography:

http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/uci-confirms-vuelta-san-juan-winner-gonzalo-najars-positive-test-cera-378965

https://www.infobae.com/deportes-2/2018/05/08/se-confirmaron-seis-casos-de-doping-en-el-ciclismo-argentino/

https://www.clarin.com/deportes/polideportivo/noticia-durisima-ciclismo-argentino_0_SJzWBpa6z.html

https://tn.com.ar/sociedad/ciclismo-argentino-se-confirmaron-seis-casos-de-doping-en-deportistas-nacionales_867515

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuous_erythropoietin_receptor_activator
http://www.uci.ch

The story of Barry Bonds.

Barry Bonds is a retired Major League Baseball (MLB), who played 22 seasons wirh the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He holds the record for most carrer home runs in 1 season at 73, and also has the most home runs batted for life with 762.  Bonds received seven NL MVP awards and 14 All-Star selections, and is considered as one of the greatest baseball players of all time.


The history start in 2003, two years later of hold the record of most carrer home runs in 1 season. It all started when the scandal of the BALCO laboratories was uncovered. This laboratory produced prohibited substances, supposedly undetectable, like THG, that were distribuyed among elite athletes.

Bonds's Trainer, Greg Anderson, was one of the first involved in the investigations and this forced Bonds to testify in a court. On that day of 2003, Bonds affirm with a sure voice that he had never used forbidden substances.

Bonds maybe thought he could move on with his career, but the was wrong. The investigators delved into the case and eight years later, Bonds returned to court charged with three counts, for used forbidden substances, for false statement and  for obstruction of justice.

Since the first moment, the prosecution tried to prove that Bonds had lied in his testimony before a grand jury in 2003, while the defense focused his strategy towards the ignorance by the player of the use of these substances. From this form, Bonds only would be acussed of using steroids, but not for lie in his statement, because he didn't know that the pills and injections he received from his coach were forbidden.

The trial against Bonds has had enormous media coverage; however, there hasn`t been a pronouncement from the Office of the Major League Basevall Commissioner about the validity of the Bonds figures. Specialist propose to eliminate Bonds of the list of recordistas until placing an asterisk next to its name.

Finally, Bonds retired after the 2007 campaign because no one Major Team was willing to include him in his roster.

Now, here we can see a MLB video of the Home Run number 756 of Barry Bonds, breaking Aron's records.

I hope you enjoyed this presentation. We would appreciate if you left us in the comments that you thought the presentation and what you would like to see in the next post.

Thanks for watching, see you in the next post.


Bibliography:
http://www.columnadeportiva.com/2011/04/12/juicio-dopaje-pelotero-barry-bonds/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Bonds
http://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3113127

The Kenyan 1500m runner Asbel Kiprop, another doping confirmed

Last week, the Kenyan newspaper ''The Standard'' revealed that a Kenyan athlete had a positive result in a test, but they did not reveal the name. Yesterday, we knew the name, Asbel Kiprop.

Asbel Kiprop, a Kenyan star who had won the gold medal in the Olympic Games of 2008, was accused of doping with EPO on 27 november 2017. Nevertheless, he said to the Britain newspaper ''The Guardian'' that he had not used this type of methods, and also, he had fought against doping in Kenya.

You can find information about EPO here: EPO review. Collected from https://www.msssi.gob.es/.

In a statement, the AIU (Athletics Integrity Unit) have said this: “The AIU is satisfied that there has been no mix-up or tampering with the sample and that the sample collected from the athlete on 27 November 2017 was the same sample analysed by the laboratory and reported as an adverse analytical finding.”. Moreover, they added: “The AIU has confirmed that the doping control assistant involved in testing Mr Kiprop on 27 November 2017 [who is known to Mr Kiprop] admitted that he provided Mr Kiprop with advanced notice of the testing that was to take place on that date. This is extremely disappointing.”

If you do not know who is Kiprop, you can watch this video:

The Kenyan star refused the results, and recognise that the test assistant had asked him for money, and as he did not give him the money, the assistant had changed the sample.

Now, Kiprop have to wait until the AIU, IAAF and WADA decision. Which do you think wouldbe the correct penalty for Kiprop? Do you think that assistants test can change the results of a doping test?

Thanks for reading us,
Sergio Torreblanca.

Bibliography:
http://ecodiario.eleconomista.es/internacional/noticias/9111434/05/18/Estrella-del-atletismo-keniano-da-positivo-por-dopaje-medios.html
https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/deportes/2018/05/04/confirmado-doping-epo-campeon-olimpico-1500-pekin/00031525455227130573131.htm
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/may/04/epo-suspect-asbel-kiprop-athletics-integrity-unit
http://www.marca.com/atletismo/2018/05/04/5aec969a268e3e12648b459f.html
García L., Antorán B. & López A. (2009). Eritropoyetina: revisión de sus indicaciones. Sistema Nacional de Salud, 33(1): 3-9.

Why are cannabinoids prohibited? Functioning and effects.

The Cannabinoids are a group of natural substances present in the plant Cannabis Sativa. Chemically they are derivated of dibenzopyrene or monoterpenoids. The Cannabis Sativa contanis about 420 chemical compounds of which the more important are THC, cannabinol (CBN) y cannabidiol (CBD). You can see the molecular form of these substances below.

As happen with the opiates, that they join directly to the endorphine receptors, the cannabinoids receptors join to his specific molecule: the anandamide. The anadamide is involved in the regulation of the mood, memory, appetite, pain, cognition and feelings.

Cannabis is widely use to have the characteristics of mood alteration and relaxation. The lack of scientific evidence about how cannabis could increase the performance is associated with the obvius evidence of their harmful effects over psychomotor skills and the cognosctive function, what could be dangerous in certain sport modalities (sky, motor sports).

The prohibition of the use of cannabinoids in sports is based in the safety concern during training and competition. According to the WADA, cannabinoids samples not are analysed in out competition tests.

The primary effects of cannabinoids are exercised over the central nervous system and cause lack of physical effort motivation and a weakening of the psychomotor system, memory and perception in the short term. Regarding to the physiological effects, cannabinoids cause tachycardia, bronchodilation and a greater blood flow to the limbs. The chronic consumption of cannabinoids could produce the destruction of CB1 brain receptors, giving as a result a blood flow shortening and a decrease in the glucose and oxygen supply to the brain what could produce attention déficit, memory lose and a deteriorated learning capacity.

Finally, it should be noted that since the beginning of 2018 Cannabidiol(CBD) stopped being considered as a ilegal substance by the WADA. We will talk deeper about it in following posts.