title: Can asthma treatment in sports be doping? The effect of the rapid onset, long-acting inhaled beta2-agonist formoterol upon endurance performance in healthy well-trained athletes.
abstract: Inhaled beta2-agonists have been subject to restrictions in relationship to sports due to fear of possible improvement in endurance performance. According to the international doping regulations only inhaled salbutamol, terbutaline and salmeterol are allowed for use in sports. Formoterol is a recently introduced rapid onset-long-acting inhaled beta2-agonist. The main aim of the present randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study was to investigate possible improvement in endurance performance of inhaled formoterol in 24 healthy well-trained competitive male athletes, 21-29 years old. Lung function (flow-volume loops) was measured before, 15 min after each inhaled study drug and before and repeatedly after exercise. On day 1, maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max), peak ventilation (VEpeak) and running time till exhaustion were measured and used to determine the exercise load on days 2 and 3. On days 2 and 3 the subjects inhaled the study drugs, rested for 1 h, then exercised, and VO2max, VEpeak and running time until exhaustion were determined. Inhaled formoterol did not improve any parameter of endurance performance. On the other hand a statistically significant, although not clinically significant (0.05 ml(-1) min kg(-1)), change was found in estimated difference of VO2max between formoterol and placebo in favour of placebo. Lung function increased significantly after inhaled formoterol, and after exercise also for placebo, but without differences between the beta2-agonist and placebo after exercise. In conclusion, inhaled formoterol did not improve endurance performance compared to placebo.
authors.affiliation: Voksentoppen Centre and Research Institute for Asthma, Allergy and Chronic Lung Diseases in Children, Oslo, Norway. k.h.carlsen@usit.no
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Carlsen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hem
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stensrud
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Held
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Herland
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mowinckel
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004300:Doping in Sports; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008449:Maximal Expiratory Flow-Volume Curves / Q000187:drug effects; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000187:drug effects*; D018401:Sample Size; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D004983:Ethanolamines; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate