Clenbuterol was at the centre of a recent positive dope test in Irish amateur cycling resulting in a four-year ban. But what is it and why is it banned?
By Dr Conor McGrane
Clenbuterol has been in the cycling news in Ireland recently and was also the drug that cost Alberto Contador Giro and Tour de France titles. But what is it?
WADA - under section S1 (2) - lists it as a banned substance due to anabolic (muscle building) effects
There is no threshold level, which means if any trace of it is detected then it counts as a failed test.
Originally used as a medicine to treat asthma, it has fallen out of favour as newer and better medicines were developed.
It is still licenced in some Eastern European countries and in parts of Asia, however.
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It is classified as a Beta agonist which opens the airways in the lungs but also has some serious side effects.
It increases heart rate, blood pressure and causes nervousness and tremors. In extreme cases it can also cause sudden death.
As a doping substance it is used mainly as an anabolic and fat burning agent.
Put simply it is used to keep or increase muscle mass while at the same time losing fat.
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It is commonly used in body building circles as a “cutting” agent and is freely available. A simple online search shows just how easy it is to obtain.
Another source is in contaminated supplements.
It is included in some deliberately. But in other cases it is there as contamination when the same vats are used to make different products but not cleaned properly between uses.
It is for this reason that both the Irish Sports Council and Cycling Ireland have a policy not to officially recommend the use of any supplements.
As it is banned, even in trace amounts, WADA applies the principle of strict liability.
This means that every athlete is responsible for whatever substance is detected in their system even if it was not taken intentionally.
In some countries however Clenbuterol is added to animal feed in order to promote weight gain.
This happens primarily in China and to some extent in countries such as Mexico.
Athletes who have tested positive have in some cases avoided serious sanction when they proved that food from those countries was the source.
The standard sanction for Clenbuterol is a two-year ban for a first offence but this can be higher or lower if there are thought to be aggravating or extenuating circumstances.
- Dr Conor McGrane is a cyclist and as well as running his own medical practice has worked with Cycling Ireland as a doctor. He writes here in a personal capacity.
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