Sudafed

trap_star · Post by **trap_star** » November 23rd, 2006, 11:27 pm

I'm sure some of you may be aware, but for those who are not.... years ago, Canadian National rower Silken Lauman was disqualified from a world championship because she used a common cold medicine, sudafed, because she was fighting a cold/illness. Sudafed is a banned substance because it opens up the lungs/sinuses allowing more oxygen flow (someone with a cold would have their sinuses blocked with mucus and whatnot). What I am wondering is if taking Sudafed would significantly help an individual who is healthy. It may bring up a question of morals, but more for curiosity I wonder what differences one could expect over a distance of 2k or 6k. Anyone care to take a shot at it?

johnlvs2run · Post by **johnlvs2run** » November 24th, 2006, 12:22 pm

The pill theory, that you can take a "pill" and become a champion cause of that and that health doesn't mean anything. Look in any hospital to see how well that is working.

Converse to that is being healthy, taking good care of yourself, training wisely, staying away from medical quacks etc.

Try rinsing your sinuses with salt water solution, eat right and be healthy. Then you won't have to worry about being sick or taking some pill that would mess you up anyway.

trap_star · Post by **trap_star** » November 24th, 2006, 3:36 pm

Trust me, I'm not looking to take a magic pill to get ahead. I do nine hours of cardio a week, on top of strength training and a healthy diet. I am simply trying to ask what benefit this pill really has. Why is it a banned substance? Could it really open up the lungs of a healthy person, allowing more oxygen intake?

jjpisano · Post by **jjpisano** » November 24th, 2006, 3:52 pm

I also believe that pseudafed ?spelling? has been shown to increase max heart rate - which may actually be the reason that it has been banned.

I believe that I read that it has been shown to be a performance enhancing drug. I believe by increasing max heart rate it thereby improves cardiac output which would improve the delivery of oxygen to working muscles and improving the removal of CO2 and lactic acid from working muscles.

I may be wrong but I believe I read that at the Peak Performance web site.

I believe that pseudafed is very closely related to the naturally occuring substance - epinephrine - which is essential to the flight or fight physiological response. It is a "pseudo" form of epinephrine. When the fight or flight response is activated, also known as the sympathetic neural system, epinephrine causes small blood vessels to clamp down in the periphery. Less serum in the peripheral vessels leads to less mucosal edema leading to larger airways. Thus, it's use in cold medicines.

All this being said, I'd recommend against using pseudafed for performance enhancement. In the end, I'm shooting for health improvement - adding drugs to my body doesn't seem like a health improvement.

afolpe · Post by **afolpe** » November 24th, 2006, 5:01 pm

Pseudoephedrine is banned principally as a stimulant- as with amphetamines, it allows people to keep pushing through fatigue, etc. Things like that have always been quite popular in long distance sports, like cycling. It's been said by some famous cycling coaches that "no one accidentally tests positive for pseudoephedrine"- meaning that this whole "I had a cold" business is BS. This class of drugs also increases fat burning, and is/was popular for weight loss (wrestlers, for example). I very much doubt that the minor increase in the diameter of your nasal passages would have any impact at all on O2/CO2 transfer.

Andrew

bw1099 · Post by **bw1099** » November 24th, 2006, 10:12 pm

I have heard that it is fairly common for atheletes to use albuteral - the inhaler that you use when having an asthma attack. And they will use it even if they don't have asthma to open up the lungs and get more oxygen. I think my asthma doctor told me that.

bw1099 · Post by **bw1099** » November 24th, 2006, 10:15 pm

John Rupp wrote:Try rinsing your sinuses with salt water solution, eat right and be healthy. Then you won't have to worry about being sick or taking some pill that would mess you up anyway.

John,

You have recommended this many times. So how exactly does one rinse ones sinuses with salt water?

bw

flan48 · Post by **flan48** » November 24th, 2006, 11:01 pm

Actually John Rupp is correct. There are many over the counter nasal sprays that are simply salt water solutions (sodium chloride).

Best regards

johnlvs2run · Post by **johnlvs2run** » November 25th, 2006, 12:01 am

BW,

You can pour pure water in a bowl, mix in some seasalt, scoop some water in your hand and then snuff it up one side of your nose.

Pressing a finger on the other nostril is helpful, and then alternating from one to the other. For example you can snuff the saltwater up one, and then blow it out the other one, making sure to do this gently and not hard.

Sometimes the sinuses might still be a bit clogged the first time, but flushing them again a few hours later will keep clearing them more. By doing this every morning or evening, you can help your sinuses to be clear.

FrankJ · Post by **FrankJ** » November 25th, 2006, 1:56 pm

Not much of a scientific study but I have a cold and wanted to row an online 10K this morning. Nothing fancy just about 40 minutes to keep me in the holiday challenge. I have been taking Sudafeds for my cold because they really work for me and stop my nose from running etc.

Well I was aware of this thread so I did a bit of an experiment. I rowed the first 6K at about 1:59 pace with my HR around 155. Then slowed down to row with a slower rower for a while. With about 7K to go I picked it up to about 1:53 pace for about 1K and got my HR up to about 165. What was amazing to me was how comfortable I felt. I wasn't even breathing that hard. At that point I settled down to 1:57-1:58 pace and my HR stayed around 160.

What amazed me was how comfortable by breathing was especially considering that I have a cold. Now what I need to do is row a similar pattern when my cold is over and compare the results.

Frank

Citroen · Post by **Citroen** » November 25th, 2006, 3:27 pm

Sudafed - pseudoephedrine is NOT banned on the current WADA list.

See page 8:
http://www.wada-ama.org/rtecontent/docu ... 6_LIST.pdf

little weed · Post by **little weed** » November 25th, 2006, 4:43 pm

sudafed gives me palpitations.
jane

grams · Post by **grams** » November 28th, 2006, 2:10 pm

it turns me into avegetable on speed. Pulse rate way up, mind gone, and I can't sleep. I'd rather have the cold. I sure couldn't concentrate well enough to participate in a sporting event

grams

PaulS · Post by **PaulS** » November 28th, 2006, 3:02 pm

bw1099 wrote:
John Rupp wrote:Try rinsing your sinuses with salt water solution, eat right and be healthy. Then you won't have to worry about being sick or taking some pill that would mess you up anyway.
John,

You have recommended this many times. So how exactly does one rinse ones sinuses with salt water?

bw

Commercial products are available.

As with anything, there are precautions and risks to consider.

Sean Seamus · Post by **Sean Seamus** » November 29th, 2006, 4:52 pm

google jala neti for information on saline nasal irrigation

a passive flow-through of salt water through the nasal passages is NOT the same as snuffing water into the nose

I have practised this for years with excellent benefits