Re: Cycling and diuretics

[Anachnoid]

Anyone know why a cyclist, especially world competition level would take a diuretic? Is it a masking agent for other peds?


I'm not finding anything on this. Thanks




Just found this:



"Diuretics are not used to enhance performance. If anything they have a detrimental effect on performance as they cause dehydration. Diuretics are used for two reasons. Firstly to loose weight rapidly in sports which require the athlete to be within a set weight limit. For example boxers and jockeys.

Secondly, to dilute the presence of illegal substances and aid their excretion."



You would think they could sweat that mess out pretty quickly.
This post was edited on 7/18 9:19 AM by Anachnoid

 

[WebSpinner]

Noid, unless we are missing something think the last sentence of your "just found this" answers your question. though most doping agencies put any substance which tends to mask peds off limits as well but not sure about that. think cycling is or was one of the worse offenders in the ped deal even with all the testing. it appears lance did it big time but the tests never caught him which either means he was utilizing a boutique substance which tests could not find, he was using a masking agent which the doping agency was not aware of or he was not using. based on the fact that it seems all of his competitors were using and he was kicking their butts, something was going on with him. when i worked downtown and watched the tour de trump go by, none of those dudes looked like they needed to lose any weight....lol

 

[Anachnoid]

Gen'l from what I have been reading, they limit their intake of coffee due to the diuretic consequences of caffeine. During training they add water to Coke. Just crazy.

 

[SFspidur]

Yep, you got it...used for either masking or for rapidly losing weight.

A positive test for Xipamide does not require an automatic suspension in cycling, as it is not a PED by itself and can have legitimate uses outside of that sphere. But Schleck says he doesn't know how it got into his system, so we'll have to see how it plays out.

 

[keefusb]

As a former competitive cyclist, I can tell you that the use of performance enhancers in ALL levels of competitive cycling is rampant.

In almost all cases, the presence of a diuretic means the athlete is trying hasten the process of clearing a banned substance from his body. The athlete will do this even at the risk of dehydration, which can have a major detrimental effect on performance. The weight loss advantage from a diuretic during an event like the TDF is negligible.

When one substance is banned, cyclists will find a way to mask that substance, or they will find a new way to cheat via new PEDs, or blood doping, or similar.

Since doping is so prevalent in professional cycling, I have advocated that they make doping legal (since EVERYONE is doing it anyway), and insist that it be doctor-supervised to better protect the athletes. The chief downside of this that I see is that is does send the wrong message to kids and young people, but if athletes are going to do it anyway, no matter what the consequences (health, safety, being banned, stripped of winnings, fired from team, etc.), I don't see any better way to deal with the problem.

http://www.conquestgraphics.com

 

[WebSpinner]

Kee, great read and interesting info. i agree about legalization to some degree. feel that HGH could be something that baseball and football could allow, never steroids, to enhance the professional athlete's performance and recovery without the probs of steroids. am saying this because have not heard that HGH causes long term probs but could be wrong. these pro athletes are training and playing year round now and if they could take something, under supervision, which could help their bodies take the grind of working out and playing 6 month seasons, that would be ok with me and maybe be a positive for their bodies after they complete their careers and go forward with their lives. i could be very misinformed on HGH and if so someone tell me and will reverse the above. cycling seems to be overwhelmed with peds and agree, why not even the playing surface and supervise it but guess there will always be someone trying to get something better than the rest to get an advantage.