Medical Question to a Doctor regarding Supplements.
Former Member
When competing last week in Hawaii, I read in the Honolulu Star Bulletin newspaper from Saturday May 18, in page A5, an advertisement promoting a product stimulating the release of the Human Growth Hormone by the body.
I read in it: "Practically EVERYONE over the age of 40 has a Growth Hormone deficiency.". I am age 43, and even though I trained more than ever for the past year, I swam slower in Hawaii in 100 free and 200 free than I did last year, which was slower than in 1998, which was slower than in 1996, which was slower than in 1994 when I peaked in yards competitions. Because of this, I kept reading:
by taking the product advertised in the newspaper "In the FIRST MONTH: You should expect: Improved stamina;...".
My question for a Medical Doctor familiar with competitions, regards one specific side effect of such a product, not approved by FDA. I remember reading in the Swimming World magazine in mid-90s, when Chinese Olympic swimmers were being caught on illegal products, that a possible side effect of Human Growth Hormone stimulants given to adults, was an increase of extremities like nose, hands, ears and forehead. A picture of the swimmer Massimiliano Rosolino (Ita.) who in the 2000SydneyOlympics won gold, silver and bronze medals, picture published in 2000 in www.nbcolympics.com, semmed to me to show the increase of the nose. www.nbcolympics.com didn't mean to imply anything like this, this is my interpretation of Rosolino's face. It is publicly documented now, that Rosolino took Human Growth Hormone stimulants before the Olympics.
My question is:
The product advertised in Honolulu Star Bulletin as being a Human Growth Hormone stimulant, does increase the nose?
If so, what safer supplements achieve "...improved stamina..."?
San Francisco Chronicle did mention once before the 2000Olympics, two Olympians who were achieving with legal supplements the outcome of illegal products.
Parents
Former Member
Ion,
Three thoughts: (1) thanks for having the courage to ask a serious question on a subject that can draw a lot of fire. I'm sure in the back of our minds many of us have wondered to ourselves the kind of things you asked openly in this public forum. You did a good job of setting up this issue for the kind of serious and thoughtful responses we have seen for the other participants. Thanks to all; this is an example of the kind of discussion thread we should all aspire to acheive.
(2) I have been pondering a response to the email you sent me a few days ago. I will get back to you privately on some of the issues others have raised here, but I do think Emmett and Tall Paul may be on to something.
(3) My attitude on others' use of chemistry to enhance their swimming (based on my individual goals and my approach to my own swimming) is that I think they are fools, but I really don't care if they "beat" me by these methods. I'm in this game for general fitness and to see how fast I can swim. Altough I LOVE to race and there are times and circumstances when I can be a shameless medal hound, I don't make a goal of acheiving a particular place at a particular meet. (In part it's because any meet where I make the top 3 does not usuall have a particularly good field of swimmers. I'm reminded of the Groucho Marx line of not wanting to join any club that would have me as a member, but I digress...) Other swimmers have different goals, and I don't want to dismiss how cheating may affect them. But for me, so what? Someone takes a steroid and he dusted me. Does he feel like he has acheived anything? 30 years from now when my swimming has kept me hale and hearty and still competing, will he even still be ALIVE in light of the damage steroid use can cause to his health? In his dialogues Plato argued that honesty is its own reward. That is how I feel about using drugs to swim faster.
Matt
Ion,
Three thoughts: (1) thanks for having the courage to ask a serious question on a subject that can draw a lot of fire. I'm sure in the back of our minds many of us have wondered to ourselves the kind of things you asked openly in this public forum. You did a good job of setting up this issue for the kind of serious and thoughtful responses we have seen for the other participants. Thanks to all; this is an example of the kind of discussion thread we should all aspire to acheive.
(2) I have been pondering a response to the email you sent me a few days ago. I will get back to you privately on some of the issues others have raised here, but I do think Emmett and Tall Paul may be on to something.
(3) My attitude on others' use of chemistry to enhance their swimming (based on my individual goals and my approach to my own swimming) is that I think they are fools, but I really don't care if they "beat" me by these methods. I'm in this game for general fitness and to see how fast I can swim. Altough I LOVE to race and there are times and circumstances when I can be a shameless medal hound, I don't make a goal of acheiving a particular place at a particular meet. (In part it's because any meet where I make the top 3 does not usuall have a particularly good field of swimmers. I'm reminded of the Groucho Marx line of not wanting to join any club that would have me as a member, but I digress...) Other swimmers have different goals, and I don't want to dismiss how cheating may affect them. But for me, so what? Someone takes a steroid and he dusted me. Does he feel like he has acheived anything? 30 years from now when my swimming has kept me hale and hearty and still competing, will he even still be ALIVE in light of the damage steroid use can cause to his health? In his dialogues Plato argued that honesty is its own reward. That is how I feel about using drugs to swim faster.
Matt
