The World Anti-Doping Agency is conducting tests to determine whether Viagra is a performance-enhancing drug not only in the bedroom, but also on the playing field.
The New York Times reports that the Anti-Doping Agency, which is oversees drug testing for international sports, is currently conducting tests in which college lacrosse players are taking Viagra and having their athletic performances measured. If the study determines that Viagra gives users a competitive advantage by dilating blood vessels and increasing oxygen-carrying capacity, it will consider banning the drug.
The Times reports:
The drug works by suppressing an enzyme that controls blood flow, allowing the vessels to relax and widen. The same mechanism facilitates blood flow into the penis of impotent men. In the case of athletes, increased cardiac output and more efficient transport of oxygenated fuel to the muscles can enhance endurance.For now, athletes are free to use Viagra before competing. But by the 2010 Olympics, Viagra may be treated the same as human growth hormone and anabolic steroids."Basically, it allows you to compete with a sea level, or near-sea level, aerobic capacity at altitude," Kenneth W. Rundell, the director of the Human Performance Laboratory at Marywood, said of Viagra.
Some experts are more skeptical. Anthony Butch, the director of the Olympic drug-testing lab at U.C.L.A., said it would be "extremely difficult, if not impossible" to prove that Viagra provided a competitive edge, given that the differences in performance would be slight and that athletes would probably take it in combination with other drugs.
