Doping in Andalusians gyms

10 people were arrested (4 of them, younger than 18), 41 more investigated, and 1.336 dose of medicines intervened. This is the ‘Zute’ operation, by the Spanish ‘Guardia Civil’, in Granada, Spain. That network used to get the medicines to dope people who go to the gymnasium in this city and others like Málaga or Jaen.

First, they paid until 400€ to farmacist to get every recipe. Then, they sold them in the different gyms of the nearest provinces. Some of the medicines were Testex prolongatum, Proviron, Winstrol, Femara, Decadurabolin, Arimidex, Gonal and Trakimazin.

The ‘Guardia Civil’ have told that this network has used more than 400 recipes to provide the medicines. They acted from 2015 to 2017, when they were discovered. This medicines, for example, are used by menopausal women, and they costed to the pharmacies a total of 5.800€. This is an example of the increasing of illegal substances in people that do not compete, they only practice sports to improve their health. A new horizon for the doping.

What do you think about this topic? Do you consider it more dangerous than the doping in professionals athletes?

Thanks for reading us,

Sergio Torreblanca.

Bibliography:

http://www.lavanguardia.com/local/sevilla/20180417/442647131170/red-compra-medicamentos-dopaje-deporte-granada.html

https://www.elespanol.com/espana/20180417/golpe-dopaje-gimnasios-andaluces-detenidos-dosis-intervenidas/300470416_0.html

The end of Ben Johnson's career.

Ben Johnson (born on December 30, 1961) was a canadian athlete known fot his disqualification for doping after winning the Olympic final of 100 meters in the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988.

Born in Falmouth, Jamaica, Johnson emigrated to Canada in 1976. He made his debut at the Word Athletics Championships in 1983 and was defeated in the semifinals.


At 1988, the great referent of athletics was Carl Lewis, who had won the 100 meters in the Olympic final of Los Ángeles, where Ben was in third place, proposing to beat Carl in the following Olympic Games.


On September 24, 1988, the one known as "The race of the century" took place. It was the first time in the history of athletics in which four athletes dropped 10 seconds in the 100 meters, being the winner Ben Johnson.

Below we can see the video of the race:

From that moment, Ben Johnson becomes the first globally, being the great defeated Carl Lewis. Nevertheless, 48 hours later, it became official that Ben has given positive in doping control for stanozolol. an anabolic that promotes the development of muscle mass.

After several theories about a possible plot, Johnson finally confessed he had doped, being stripped of the gold medal, and, therefore, of the world record. He was suspended for two years, and after trying to return to racing, was suspended from lifetime to give back positive in another control anti-doping.

What are anabolic agents?

Anabolic steroids, also known more properly as anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS), are synthetic variations of the male sex hormone testosterone. The terms "Anabolic" refers to muscle building, and "androgenic" refers to increased male sex characteristics.

USES:

Anabolic steroids have many uses, classified into four groups mainly: Medical, anabolic, androgenic and other uses (like male contracepcion, treatment of breast cancer in women, etc).
One of the uses more know is to improve performance.

Studies in the United States have shown that AAS users tend to be mostly middle-class heterosexual men with a medianage of about 25 who are noncompetitive bodybuilders and non-athletes and use the drugs for cosmetic purposes.

Routes of administration:

The most commons forms of administration of AAS are by oral pills, injectable steroids and creams or gels.

Some athletes and other who abuse of these sustance, think that they can avoid unwanted side effects or maximize the drugs effects taking them by differents ways:

• Stacking: Combination of two or more types of steroids.
• Cycling: Taking doses for a period of time, stopping for a time.
• Pyramiding: Slowly increasing the dose or frecuency of abuse, reaching a peak amount, and then gradually tapering off.

ADVERSE EFFECTS:

The use of AAS have some side effects  that can seriously affect health.

Known of possible side effects of Anabolics include:

• Dermatologycal: oily skin, acne vulgaris...
• Reproductive/endocrine: libido changes, reversible infertility, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, erectile dysfunction, hirsutism...
• Psychiatric/neurological: mood swings, irritability, aggresion, euphoria, depression...
• Musculoskeletal: Muscle strains, tendon ruptures, muscle hypertrophy...
• Cardiovascular: atherosclerosis, hypertension, dyslipidemia, left ventricular hypertrophy...
• Hepatic: elevated liver function tests, hepatotoxicity, peliosis hepatis, hepatocellular...
• Renal: renal hypertrophy, acute renal failure, glomerulosclerosis...
• Others: insuline resistance, immune dysfunction, glucose intolerance.

Bibliography:

Anabolic steroid

Drugabuse.gov