SELECTED ARTICLES FROM THE RECENT LITERATURE 2004

10/21/04

Effect of inhaled albuterol on cycling performance

Summary
Background - Inhaled beta agonists (IBA) are often used prior to competitions by athletes with histories of asthma. However, concerns have been raised whether such IBA treatment has ergogenic (performance-enhancing) effects in non-asthmatics, independent of the bronchodilating effect in asthmatics.

Findings - Van Baak et al of the Maastricht Univ. in the Netherlands investigated whether a large (800 mcg) dose of inhaled albuterol (Alb) enhances endurance cycling performance in non-asthmatic athletes. When compared to findings after placebo inhalation, there was a very small increase in the FEV-1 following the inhalation of Alb at rest. However, there was no significant difference in the FEV-1 or peak flow measurements after exercise following Alb vs. placebo inhalation. Following the Alb inhalation, there was a small, but significant increase in endurance cycling performance (1.9 +/- 1.8 %; p<0.05) in these non-asthmatic athletes when compared to such performance after placebo inhalation.

Conclusions - The authors concluded that this route of administration of beta agonist does not exclude the possibility of an ergogenic effect of beta (2)-adrenergic agents in athletes, not explained by increased ventilatory parameters or changes in plasma concentrations of free fatty acids, glycerol, lactate, and potassium during exercise.

Reference
Int J Sports Med. 2004 ;25:533-8

Editor's Comments
I am far from an expert in sports physiology. However, the increased cycling performance described above seems quite small. However, such small differences might make the difference in high-level competition. It remains to be seen whether inhalation of the 200 mcg dose of Alb used customarily by asthmatics before exercise would have any effect on this measure of exercise performance.

 

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