Athletes who take ‘natural’ supplements to give them a competitive edge were warned today that abusing them could be harmful.
The European Society of Cardiology said An increasing number of athletes are using unproven products containing substances such as caffeine and creatine to enhance performance.
Despite being legal, nutritional products are often not subject to rigorous drug safety standards.
writing on the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, the ESC warned that such products could pose “a serious health risk” on their own or when mixed with other substances.
Even caffeine, in high doses, can cause rapid heartbeat, heart rhythm disturbances, high blood pressure and sudden cardiac death, he said.
Taking a cocktail of substances can be “extremely dangerous” because they could interact, the ESC also said.
And because they are not rigorously regulated, they could also be contaminated with illegal chemicals that violate doping rules.
The ESC wants athletes to use products from ‘well-established manufacturers with internationally known and approved good quality standards’.
At least four in 10 athletes take legal supplements, such as energy drinks, prescription and over-the-counter medications, and experimental drugs, to gain a competitive advantage. But the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) warned that these supplements, including natural and plant-based extracts such as caffeine, could pose “a serious health risk” and break the anti-doping rule.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) bans performance-enhancing drugs, but does not include nutritional substances.
But an investigation by the UK drug watchdog previously found that dozens of sports energy and “muscle gain” supplements contained steroids, stimulants and hormones.
The ESC said: ‘Athletes using supplements are often unaware of their effects on athletic performance and general health.
“Most athletes are reported to receive nutritional advice from coaches, fellow athletes, family and friends.”
The panel said it suggests that “wider educational interventions are needed, at an early age.”
In a letter published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, the ESC said that at least 40 percent of athletes take legal supplements.
But it’s “common practice” for athletes to ignore dosage guidelines and take multiple supplements at the same time, he said.
The ESC did not name any supplements, but did state that they can come in the form of energy drinks, gels, bars and protein.
Dr. Paolo Emilio Adami, medical manager for health and science at World Athletics and author of the article, said caffeine is a “prime example” of a natural substance that is safe but can harm health when abused.
He said: “While caffeine improves performance, particularly aerobic capacity in endurance athletes, its abuse can lead to rapid heartbeat (tachycardia), heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias), high blood pressure and, in some cases, sudden cardiac death”.
The ESC document states: “The ‘more is better’ philosophy, when applied to the use of caffeine in sports, can lead to side effects that outweigh the performance benefits.”
Dr Adami said: ‘In many cases athletes use a mixture or cocktail of substances to enhance their performance and the interaction between them can also be extremely dangerous.
‘All doping substances are risky and their use as medicines should only be allowed when prescribed by a doctor to treat a medical condition, when no therapeutic alternatives are available.
‘Depending on the dose, duration of use and interaction with other substances, the health consequences can vary and in some cases be fatal.
He added: ‘Athletes should be aware that supplements and natural substances are not necessarily safe and should only be used if recommended by professional nutritionists.
‘It is essential to use products from well-established manufacturers with internationally known and approved good quality standards.’
Furthermore, the ESC said that deaths among athletes taking anabolic steroids are up to 20 times higher than those of clean athletes.
And almost a third of these deaths are caused by heart problems.
And gene doping – injecting DNA into the body to improve strength, reduce pain and repair tissue – occurs “behind the scenes with limited protective actions and consequently increased health risks.”
It is prohibited by the AMA and may include the addition of hormone gene copies that cause the body to make more red blood cells, which can increase endurance.
Androgen receptor modulators or peptides (prohibited substances that increase muscle mass and are included in more than 100 supplements) “carry a substantial risk of adverse long-term health consequences, which their promoters often underestimate,” warns the Article.
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