We have all heard about the failed doping test of Lee Chong Wei 李宗伟. And today, A prominent badminton figure, Razif Sidek has given his views to the Malay Paper Kosmo. This has caused a lot of uneasiness to me as a pharmacist, as the points JUST DONT ADD UP. According to the article, Razif has claimed that Dia mengambil dadah ini dan sanggup mengupah doctor itu datang ke Malaysia (suggesting it was a foreign doctor) semata-mata untuk menggunakan bahan terlarang berkenaan. PROBLEM WITH THAT STATEMENT 1. Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid that prevents the release of substances in the body that cause inflammation. Dexamethasone is used to treat many different inflammatory conditions such as allergic disorders, skin conditions, ulcerative colitis, arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, or breathing disorders. IT IS NOT AN ANABOLIC STEROID, like those used to increase muscle mass, and prolonged use will actually cause muscle wasting and fat build up in the body (lemon on the stake, a common side effect of corticosteroids). I would hardly imagine ANY athlete wanting to take this drug over a long duration or period of time. 2. Dexamethasone is in the World anti-doping agency list of prohibited items only during competition and not BEFORE competition, because it is misused by certain long distance athletes like cyclists and marathon runners when they are competing in high altitudes. This is because dexamethasone can be used to treat/prevent mountain sickness, and give the athlete a competetive edge of the rest of the competition. Lee Chong Weis competition was held in Copenhagen Denmark, a country ranked 225 in the List of countries by highest point. Therefore, taking dexamethasone will hardly be of any benefit in terms of cheating. 3. The most laughable point is when Razif said that he hired a doctor from overseas to administer dexamethasone to him. Dexamethasone is available in most pharmacies for about RM2-3/10 tablets, and Injectable dexamethasone is available in ANY clinic, Im sure for a very very low cost. This is because dexamethasone is used mainly for treatment of Asthma, autoimmune diseases, allergic reactions, and of course, swelling. I believe the only reason Lee Chong Wei could have taken Dexamethasone was to aid in injury related swelling, because there just isnt any other motive for him otherwise. I do hope more people understand what dexamethasone is before condemning our champion for cheating. Im sure most pharmacists will share my view on this.
Posted on: Sun, 09 Nov 2014 11:52:55 +0000
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