[Closed] How many here have used performance enhancing drugs for cycling?

Beer count?
On a serious note I know of someone who was racing track and road crits a while back who said it was everywhere then and a reason to get out. First thing Richie Porte said to me was look no track marks.

A couple of months ago I asked the same question on here regarding EPO. The response was fairly evenly mixed. I asked because my cycling buddy is a doctor and we had agreed that it would be interesting to try EPO, just to see the effect for ourselves. Dunno if we ever will though; we'd need to find a way of acquiring some without stealing it.

Tesco. Dont over do it though. http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=250283080

Gone for a ride on a comedown, don't think it was performance enhancing though.

I've used extensively.. Coffee and hobnobs that is.

I would imagine most people on here have, unwittingly.

Most over the counter medicines are banned, plus copious amounts of coffee 😆

[url= http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/dropping-in/I-Couldn-t-Be-More-Positive.html ]This might be worth a read[/url]

Outside magazine did an article where a bloke tested quite a few different PE's - I think he said the one thing he'd have continued taking, if he could afford it, would be growth hormone. Something that was noted was that any gains are soon lost once you stop taking whatever it is you're on.

Edit - cookeaa beat me to it.

I've been absolutely baked at the top of a longish climb. Had to have a little lie down in the sun for half an hour.

Tangfastics - I definitely speed up after a couple of those. 😉

I've tried legitimate stimulants for racing - caffeine tablets, nicotine patches etc, but nothing banned!

i'm with cloudnine and balugabob ... 🙂

I'd definitely class caffeine as performance enhancing, not illegal tho.

<edit> Nicotine patches njee? What's it like? Similar stimulant to caffeine? Wouldn't go near the stuff myself mind.

asthma inhaler is good before going on a bike ride. 🙂

Nicotine patches njee? What's it like? Similar stimulant to caffeine? Wouldn't go near the stuff myself mind.

Yes, coach at the time recommended it on the back of a bit of testing that had shown performance increases (increased oxygen uptake IIRC), I was winning races at the time, but I'd be lying if I said I could tell a difference. They were bloody expensive though!

I smoke many fags for the reasons njee20 has listed above

😆

I'm asthmatic, and I always have a couple of blasts from my salbutamol inhaler before a Time Trial, more to ward off an asthma attack than for it's performance enhancing qualities, but it's weird to think I'd be banned if i did that at a UCI event.

There's a guy on our local time trialing scene, and there are rumours about his 'medication'. No ida if they are true or not...

I'm asthmatic, and I always have a couple of blasts from my salbutamol inhaler before a Time Trial, more to ward off an asthma attack than for it's performance enhancing qualities, but it's weird to think I'd be banned if i did that at a UCI event.

You'd have a Theraputic Use Exemption, so it'd be fine. Apparently, salbutamol has no effect on healthy airways, so it's have no effect other than placebo on a non-asthmatic.

I backed off my day-to-day caffeine intake before a couple of longer events, so that the caffeine gels would have a greater effect on the day.

asthma "ventolin" inhaler can now be bought non-prescription form most chemists - always good for a pre ride blast or two 🙂

How much time could I save on a 30km commute?

there's always a funny smell in the air on an uplift day at Innerleithen

Had an aspirin the other week - first one in about 6 years - and coincidentally destroyed my local loop. Felt good all the way round but not in an excitable kind of way

Not sure if aspirin is a performance enhancing drug but there was definitely something going on

I swigged a can of Monster mid-ride the other week. The end result was like that scene from Forest Gump; "Lieutenant Dan, you've got new legs!".

I've tried legitimate stimulants for racing - caffeine tablets, nicotine patches etc, but nothing banned!

I once used amphetamines as an experiment in a local club 10 as a youth. Plan was to deliberately DNF myself before the finish. I didn't do it to get a good result (I used to win the local 10 most weeks anyway and it wasn't a good day for a PB so there was nothing to be gained) but just to see what it was like to ride wired. In the end there was no need to deliberately DNF as a I DNF'ed anyway. One of the worst experiences of my life - it felt like I'd lost control of my heart rate and was in a total mess. Horrible experience. I had to stop and have a quiet word with myself in a ditch at the side of the road whilst I got some semblance of normality back.

It goes down as one of the stupidest things I've ever done.

Not sure if aspirin is a performance enhancing drug but there was definitely something going on

It thins the blood doesn't it, so I'd guess (and it really is just a guess) that it's reducing your red blood cell count, which isn't desirable for performance?

Which raises the philosophical question - does taking 'medication' to enhance your performance when not medically required (i.e. paracetamol/ibuprofen, caffeine, inhalers) constitute doping?

IMO no, no different to using gels, or carb drinks, or saving weight off your bike or using aero kit to within the limits set by the UCI.

For this:

asthma "ventolin" inhaler can now be bought non-prescription form most chemists - always good for a pre ride blast or two

See this:

Apparently, salbutamol has no effect on healthy airways, so it's have no effect other than placebo on a non-asthmatic

Salbutamol or ventolin only works if your bronchial is already in spasm or constricted. It has no effect on a normal non-constricted bronchial. I am asthmatic and I barely notice an effect even when I'm wheezing (other than making me shake like a shitting dog) so any effect you feel is in your head (or you're an asthmatic or COPD sufferer).

Which raises the philosophical question - does taking 'medication' to enhance your performance when not medically required (i.e. paracetamol/ibuprofen, caffeine, inhalers) constitute doping?

It thins the blood doesn't it, so I'd guess (and it really is just a guess) that it's reducing your red blood cell count, which isn't desirable for performance?

Might try another one this weekend!

Within the last year or so there was a study in conjunction with Glasgow Uni and a hospital I think, where you volunteered (cyclists)to get juiced with EPO obvs you agreed to not compete.

It would have been interesting.

I was too old. (37)

Within the last year or so there was a study in conjunction with Glasgow Uni and a hospital I think, where you volunteered (cyclists)to get juiced with EPO obvs you agreed to not compete.

Part of me would be intrigued, but actually I'd just be annoyed by not being able to compete, as I don't think there's any doubt that it would improve performance!

More likely I'd get a placebo, go no faster and still not be allowed to compete!

I read how Duane Chambers injected synthetic insulin as one of the things he took when he was found to be cheating. It half makes me wonder if I might be benefiting in some way (from a short term cycling perspective) by injecting due to being type 1 diabetic. Obviously, given the choice I wouldn't be diabetic.

Which raises the philosophical question - does taking 'medication' to enhance your performance when not medically required (i.e. paracetamol/ibuprofen, caffeine, inhalers) constitute doping?

It's perhaps more of a philosophical question if you're obtaining prescription medication by deception or other nefarious methodologies, but still complying with the UCI regs.

As D0NK said, with over the counter stuff I have no moral qualms using it!

I cycled out to Malvern to watch the pros at the Malvern Hills Classic one year when I was still tripping on LSD from the night before.
I wouldn't say it necessarily had a positive effect on my performance... 😯
It was a nice enough ride, but I was happy to blag a lift home afterwards.

I gave myself a blood transfusion before a Gorrick once. Still came mid-pack in the Fun cat.

Think you're allowed something like 16 x 100mg doses of Salbutamol per day without a TUE

Think you're allowed something like 16 x 100mg doses of Salbutamol per day without a TUE

Yep (although it's micrograms not milligrams[/pedant]).

My understanding of it is that it's pretty easy to get a diagnosis of asthma, you just have to show some airway reversibility (typically >10% variation in peak flow). Not only is this quite common, even in 'normal' people, it's also very easy to fake as the peak flow is entirely effort-dependent. I've heard that before the WADA ruling came into effect, over 80% of the pro tour was 'asthmatic'.

You can view the WADA list here

No mention of aspirin - I can't imagine it would do very much to your microvascular circulation in healthy people with normal arteries and will be associated with a risk of bleeding.

For a Monday Night Pub Ride i usually try and limit my hematocrit level to 49.6 just in case there are any testing agencies on hand...

I backed off my day-to-day caffeine intake before a couple of longer events, so that the caffeine gels would have a greater effect on the day.

Apparently that's not the case, I read something recently that suggested that cutting down on caffeine before a race doesn't improve the effect of caffeine gels.
It might have been on the Sciene In Sport website I think.

[quote="Pubmed Says"]Recently, another beta 2-adrenergic agonist, salbuamol (albuterol), has been shown to increase muscle weight and protein content in young rats at a dose similar to that used clinically.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7916118

I know it's only rats but it makes you think.

For the record I've used diclofenac, tramadol and prednisolone for recovery and I've given pseudoephedrine hydrochloride (mucron) a whirl too. Not in competition just for my own curiosity.

Diclofenac turned my wazz orange but worked, tramadol had a disco biscuit vibe that took my mind off aching legs, prednisolone worked a treat. Couldn't tell if it was the mucron or weapons grade coffee that opened up my airways but they did something.

Would I have a go at EPO, HGH or synthetic testosterone? Absolutely. Would I try other anabolics? My liver has enough to deal with given my love of beer so no.

I'd give them a whirl out of curiosity more than anything I don't race anymore and most of my riding is solo these days so my experimentation wouldn't be unethical in my eyes.

A pint of milk followed by oily fish works a treat for me after a long ride.

You can view the WADA list here

Perhaps the frame could be used as an oxygen cylinder...

I'd try EPO. I most certainly would not try anything like growth hormones as it ****s with your health well before you turn senile.