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Body
Builders Warned of Danger of Abusing Insulin
Bodybuilders who use insulin to bulk their muscles and enhance
their performance could suffer from brain damage or die,
British doctors said on Tuesday.
Although the use of insulin is banned by the International
Olympic Committee, doctors believe it is becoming more popular
among body builders because it is difficult to detect with
standard drug tests.
"It is likely that insulin is being abused for the
purpose of enhanced performance and endurance in sporting
events," said Dr Richard Lynch, of Pontefract General
Hospital in Yorkshire, northern England,
"It is very, very difficult to detect and it is likely
that there are quite a lot of people using it and it could
be potentially serious," he said in an interview.
A U.S. study indicated that as many as one in four athletes
using anabolic steroids also abused insulin, a hormone that
is secreted by cells within the pancreas.
Lynch treated a 31-year old man who was admitted to hospital
after being found unconscious in his home. He was treated
for low blood sugar and was thought to be a diabetic. But
when he woke up he admitted that he was a body builder who
had been taking insulin regularly and using steroids.
The two compounds can have a combined effect in increasing
the muscle bulk, according to Lynch. Insulin boosts glycogen
which fuels muscles during exercise. More glycogen equates
to greater stamina and steroids increase muscle.
Drug testing picks up many other banned substances, but
because insulin vanishes from the blood stream very quickly
it is very difficult to trace.
Lynch, who reported his findings in the British Journal
of Sports Medicine, said body builders get insulin from
diabetics. He also believes there is a black market for
the hormone.
It is usually taken in secret which compounds the problem.
"This puts the user at risk of developing hypoglycemia
for prolonged periods away from possible medical assistance,
potentially resulting in coma or death," Lynch added.
Article Source: Reuters Health
Article Author: N/A
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