Are professional athletes taking Viagra as a performance enhancing drug?  Sarah Stefanson investigates the evidence.Most people recognize Viagra as a drug used to combat erectile dysfunction, but it was originally developed to treat heart conditions and the helping hand in the bedroom was just a happy side effect.  Now the little blue pill is being found in locker rooms throughout the world of sports.

Drug testers at World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) labs say they often find evidence of Viagra, Cialis or other generic versions of the drug containing the active ingredient sildenafil citrate in the urine samples of pro athletes.  Major League Baseball pitcher, Roger Clemens, has been reported to have kept a stash of Viagra in his locker and Italian cyclist, Andrea Moletta was busted with 80 Viagra pills in May 2008.  Victor Conte, founder of Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO), a sports nutrition centre accused of developing the banned steroid tetrahydrogestrinone (THG), says all his athletes took Viagra and that it was “bigger than creatine” in the bodybuilding and sports worlds.  So are these athletes taking it for the same reason everyone else is or is there some performance benefit?

Viagra’s Impressive Resume

In addition to treating impotency, Viagra has also been given to patients suffering from pulmonary hypertension and has been used experimentally for pregnant women with high blood pressure and to alleviate jet lag.  Could the drug also have positive effects on the performance of athletes?  Experts say it is possible.

The drug increases the effects of nitric oxide, which makes the blood vessels expand.  This could allow the blood cells to move to the lungs faster and get more oxygen.  It may also have benefits for the heart.  Whether or not this process truly improves an athlete’s body functions is still up for debate.  The drug has been used with success to treat patients with constricted blood vessels, but it is unclear what kind of effect, if any, it would have on a healthy person with average blood vessels.

Altitude Applications

A study done by researchers at the Palo Alto Health Care System and Stanford University found that the performance of some high altitude cyclists was improved by taking sildenafil citrate by up to 45 per cent.  The improvement was found in roughly half the participants of the study who took part in a total of 10 cycling trials, on and off the drug, at sea level and at a simulated altitude of 3,874 metres.  Compared to the placebo group, the cyclists who took sildenafil citrate decreased the time it took to cover six kilometres by 15 per cent, as well as experiencing improved stroke volume and cardiac output.  If there are any athletic performance benefits from Viagra, they would likely apply mainly to runners, cyclists or skiers to whom speed and endurance are important, and altitude may play a factor.

Dr. Gerard Varlotta, director of sports rehabilitation at New York University's Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, suggests one alternative theory as to how Viagra might improve an athlete’s performance.  He says that if they use the drug and have “vigorous sex,” the euphoric feelings brought on by the activity might contribute to a more positive and impressive athletic display.

Headed for a Ban?

WADA is taking a close look at the effects of Viagra in order to determine if it should be added to its list of banned substances for athletes.  At the time of this writing, Viagra remains completely legal for both athletes and ordinary citizens.  Some experts point out that athletes could be using Viagra for its sexual applications, especially if they are trying to combat erectile problems induced by using steroids and other performance enhancing drugs.  At present, WADA officials say they see no suspicious jump in the use of Viagra, but they are keep a watchful eye on the situation.

Beijing Benefits

The 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing could possibly be the last Olympic event at which Viagra is an acceptable drug in the systems of professional athletes.  If the drug does have the kind of performance enhancing qualities that many suspect, this would be good news for those headed to the Beijing games as it could help to combat the effects of China’s polluted air.  Improving the ability of the blood vessels to transport precious oxygen may make a significant difference in areas where air pollution is an issue.

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still legal...for now

More studies are being done to determine the exact effects of Viagra on an athlete’s performance.  Athletes desperate for a competitive edge may continue turning to the drug while it is still absent from the banned list.  For a top athlete, even a small improvement may mean the difference between winning and losing.


Sources:
CBC
www.scienceagogo.com
drugpolicycentral.com
Times Online
NY Daily News