In sports, these drugs qualify as illegal doping: they make athletes faster, stronger and more enduring, and anyone can buy them in the pharmacy without a prescription. Spoiler: they include harmless baby vitamins and hemorrhoid remedies.
Mildronate
What is it for: the main active ingredient of the drug is meldonium. It increases performance and endurance, relieves symptoms of stress, improves heart function and oxygen assimilation by the body. In ordinary, non-sporting life Meldronate is taken by students during sessions, truck drivers, various shift workers — to combat fatigue, stimulate mental activity and concentration.
How it became a doping: in the seventies of the twentieth century, meldronium was used to stimulate the growth of livestock. Later — in the treatment of heart attacks and heart failure. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) banned meldonium in 2016. The substance was classified as a metabolic modulator: it was believed to increase the athletes’ competitive ability. Tennis player Maria Sharapova, boxer Alexander Povetkin, and swimmer Yulia Yefimova were caught with meldonium. More than 300 athletes in total: hockey players, track and field athletes, wrestlers, volleyball players and others.
Rhinofluimucil
What is it for: a remedy for runny nose. Clears the sinuses, reduces mucous secretions in the nose, makes breathing easier.
How it became a drug: the substance tuaminoheptane, which is part of the nasal spray, recognized as a doping in 2009. It was classified as a class of stimulants that enhance an athlete’s reaction, physical and adaptive abilities. In 2016, tuaminoheptane was found in the blood of Russian boxer Misha Aloyan. He was stripped of his Olympic silver medal because of it. Aloyan and his side argued that it was just the rhinophilus medication: the boxer caught a cold and took Rinofluimucil before the Rio Olympics.
Complivit
What is it for: a popular vitamin complex, which is prescribed even for children. It improves the immune system, speeds up recovery from illnesses, and supports the body during intensive training or work.
How it became a doping: Complivit contains cobalt, a substance banned by WADA in 2015. Cobalt was classified as a class of “peptide hormones and growth factors”: substances that improve the supply of oxygen to muscles, which makes them work longer under load.
Relief Ultra
What is it for: suppositories for hemorrhoids, eczema and injuries in the rectal area.
How it became a dope: Relief-Ultra contains hydrocortisone acetate. As part of the suppositories, this hormone of the adrenal cortex relieves inflammation, allergic reactions and narrows blood vessels (which makes the place stop itching). In sports, it is considered a tool that can increase an athlete’s strength.
In 2016, hackers from the group Fancy Bears hacked into the anti-doping agency’s database. As a result of the leak, it became known that Elena Delle Donne, an Olympic gold medalist basketball player from the United States, was taking hydrocortisone under the exclusive permission of WADA.
Expert comment:
Specialist in sports medicine and physical therapy, general surgeon
In pharmacies you can buy about a dozen drugs that are prohibited in sport as doping. But, as a rule, these drugs are sold under prescription. Among them, for example, the popular cold remedy “Clenbuterol” or the diuretic “Furosemide. At the same time, we must keep in mind that doping lists are constantly changing: something that was considered doping before might not be considered doping in the future. All this leaves chances to hope that the vitamins Complivit or Mildronate, which are freely used by many people in our country, will one day get rid of the ominous status of “banned substance”.
GOAT Stamina is a modern, multi-component bioactive supplement for players. Thanks to the appropriate combination of ingredients, the product reduces the feeling of fatigue without causing irritation, which often occurs with coffee or energy drinks.
A great advantage of GOAT Stamina is its effect time, which can last up to 6 hours from consumption! The product contains no sugar and does not cause the “caffeine crash” effect. GOAT Stamina supports concentration and cognitive functions, helps you pay attention and focus, and improves mood and productive thinking!
