Are Energy Stimulants Safe for Racing?
A London marathoner died and the stimulant DMAA may have contributed to her death.
By William O. Roberts, MD
Published February 27, 2013
Dear Sports Doc,
The 30-year-old woman, who collapsed a mile from the finish line of the London Marathon last spring and died is reported to have taken a supplement containing the stimulant DMAA that might have contributed to her death. Is it OK to use a supplement like this during a race?
Liz
Dear Liz,
The coroner’s inquest released that finding a few weeks ago. The inquest found that she had the energy powder JackD3, which contains DMAA (dimethylamylamine), in her water bottle and apparently her blood levels showed “significant levels of amphetamine-like substance in her blood.” It turns out that the stimulant DMAA was banned about four months after her death.
I would advise against using any stimulants during or before racing at any distance. Energy drinks, gels, and powders containing stimulants are supplements marketed to improve performance in various realms, and road racing is one of them. Supplements do not require Food and Drug Administration approval so there is no required safety testing and no safety net for consumers. I fear that energy drinks are mistaken or substituted for sports drinks and the two are markedly different products. Sport drinks are manufactured to improve performance in longer duration activities and, as long as you do not drink too much, are safe. Some energy gels and bars are concentrated sugar sources, which do not contain the stimulants like DMAA, and are not the culprits in this case.
Energy drinks and other energy products containing stimulants do not have a proven safety record or research backing up the effectiveness and safety. Stimulants, like DMAA, can trigger arrhythmias in the heart and cause sudden death during physical activity. Energy drinks are advertised to give users an “edge.” Energy drinks contain, other than water, various combinations of sugar, caffeine, “other” ingredients and sometimes stimulants that affect the heart and brain. These drinks are advertised to increase energy levels and improve performance. The stimulant properties of many energy drinks come from very high doses of caffeine and sugar.
Caffeine is the most frequently used psychoactive drug in the world and may improve performance and endurance during long duration, heavy exercise, and also improve, to a lesser extent short-term, high-intensity athletic performance. Caffeine improves concentration, reduces fatigue, and enhances alertness. Regular repeated use does not moderate caffeine's ergogenic properties. Chronic use of caffeine leads to dependence, tolerance, drug craving, and upon abrupt cessation unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Its use is legal, no longer on the WADA prohibited list, and is widespread across many age levels seeking a boost in performance.
Caffeine has been suggested by some to trigger cardiac sudden death in marathon runners, but I have not seen data to support that. So, coffee drinkers can likely have their usual morning cup without dire consequences. I would not load up on caffeine before a race, nor would I suggest supplementing during a race. If you are not a regular user, I would stay away as you might encounter the diuretic effect common to novel users.
Bottom line from my perspective is to improve your times with smart training and avoid the quick fix with energy drinks and other stimulant containing product that have the potential to cause more harm than do good in road racing.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Bill
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