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
The whole reason I just signed on as a USMS Discussion Forum user was to add my 2 cents on this issue...
The usage of performance enhancing drugs (both illegal and legal) in swimming has been, is currently, and will always be an unfortunate issue with which to contend. It is sad that people who are unsatisfied with their performances will resort to such measures to improve and win.
Personally, I feel that the usage of any chemical supplements should be banned, barring a medical necessity. Even our own world-class swimmers in this country use concoctions of OTC supplements, workout/recovery-enhancers, and the like. We know for a fact that countries such as East Germany (70s/80s)and China (90s/currently?) have had mass doping problems. Thankfully they continue to be caught and revealed.
I think the most dangerous "drug" out there is HgH. This may perhaps change the fundamental nature of the sport if its use cannot be detected easily. We could eventually see women breaking the current men's records, and the men- who knows how fast they can become. It's out there though, and it is in use today, especially at the higher levels. When the Chinese breaststroker Yuan Yuan was caught with 13 vials of HgH at Australian customs prior to the WC in Perth, I think it put each and every swimmer at that level under a cloud of suspicion. Who knows who has it? Who's using it? Everyone should be under suspicion. Chinese, Americans, Australians, Dutch, etc. She didn't just have it for kicks, and she was just the unfortunate on that was caught.
Now directing my reply to people of our ability levels, consider the following... Are the uncertainties surrounding chemical performance enhancers worth the minimal improvement (if any) that you would see? At our level of swimming, dropping two seconds means you get to swim in heat 6 instead of heat 5 - and the top 4 heats are still going to crush you! Swim for the benefits of drug-free swimming. Enjoy competing and strive to improve and win through natural measures. If you don't make a goal time, never beat that guy from team X, or never get one more PB, you can still know that you put everything into trying without resorting to this other garbage.
At the top level, there is so much more to gain by improving 2 seconds. National/World championship titles, sponsors, press recognition, fame, money... Let them have it. Enjoy our level of swimming and keep it clean. Their level is dirty, money-driven, under suspicion, political... that's not (at least I hope) what we are involved in swimming for.
Respectfully,
Rain Man
The whole reason I just signed on as a USMS Discussion Forum user was to add my 2 cents on this issue...
The usage of performance enhancing drugs (both illegal and legal) in swimming has been, is currently, and will always be an unfortunate issue with which to contend. It is sad that people who are unsatisfied with their performances will resort to such measures to improve and win.
Personally, I feel that the usage of any chemical supplements should be banned, barring a medical necessity. Even our own world-class swimmers in this country use concoctions of OTC supplements, workout/recovery-enhancers, and the like. We know for a fact that countries such as East Germany (70s/80s)and China (90s/currently?) have had mass doping problems. Thankfully they continue to be caught and revealed.
I think the most dangerous "drug" out there is HgH. This may perhaps change the fundamental nature of the sport if its use cannot be detected easily. We could eventually see women breaking the current men's records, and the men- who knows how fast they can become. It's out there though, and it is in use today, especially at the higher levels. When the Chinese breaststroker Yuan Yuan was caught with 13 vials of HgH at Australian customs prior to the WC in Perth, I think it put each and every swimmer at that level under a cloud of suspicion. Who knows who has it? Who's using it? Everyone should be under suspicion. Chinese, Americans, Australians, Dutch, etc. She didn't just have it for kicks, and she was just the unfortunate on that was caught.
Now directing my reply to people of our ability levels, consider the following... Are the uncertainties surrounding chemical performance enhancers worth the minimal improvement (if any) that you would see? At our level of swimming, dropping two seconds means you get to swim in heat 6 instead of heat 5 - and the top 4 heats are still going to crush you! Swim for the benefits of drug-free swimming. Enjoy competing and strive to improve and win through natural measures. If you don't make a goal time, never beat that guy from team X, or never get one more PB, you can still know that you put everything into trying without resorting to this other garbage.
At the top level, there is so much more to gain by improving 2 seconds. National/World championship titles, sponsors, press recognition, fame, money... Let them have it. Enjoy our level of swimming and keep it clean. Their level is dirty, money-driven, under suspicion, political... that's not (at least I hope) what we are involved in swimming for.
Respectfully,
Rain Man
