UKC

Have any alpinists every voluntarily been tested? I first thought of steroids as I have recently reading Mark Twight's books. Now I am not in anyway suggesting he juiced, but the book itself really opened my eyes to how hardcore training can be for alpinism. And it seems to me that such athletes would benefit from some of the steroids I know Rugby league players have been caught using to aid recovery and train more frequently - ideal for alpine climbs.

Thoughts?

In reply to Paul Doran:

Probably not used to much in climbig tbh. There isn't really enough money in it. Steroids maybe they're not too expensive but probably only really much use to aid recovery. Can't see an over ripped steroid body-builder type would be much good at climbing.

epo would be useful but it's very expensive, especially the undetectable types. I doubt there's a commercial reason for it, unlike say cycling.

But excessive ambition does not always come from the desire to earn money.

In reply to Tiberius:

when i was in yosemite, i met some guy soloing the rostrum on coke. aparently it helps you focus. i didnt think that stuff was cheap!

In reply to Tiberius: Most average joe body building seriod users dont need money to be motivated to use them. It looks to me like a phycological problem like eating disorders. Obsessions with body. I wouldnt understand why there wouldnt be any climbers using any type of drug, steriods included.

NDP as I said, not for size, obviously, probably not for strength but for recovery and endurance.

In reply to Paul Doran:

My own view is if someone takes anabolic steriods for 'recovery or endurance' whilst doing something recreational, there maybe phycological issues worth a look at.

In reply:

Really why I said there's probably not much use rather than saying there isn't any.

A lot of athletes, in a lot of sports, take performance enhancing drugs because if they didn't they wouldn't be able to compete at a level that would enable them to earn a living at it. As they get older, some athletes take drugs because they wouldn't be able to continue competing at that level.

The first pressure probably doesn't exist in climbing. There just isn't enough money in it. The second may exist, but not to a great extent. As other people have pointed out, there are other reasons for taking performance enhancing drugs.

Almost certainly there are climbers who take drugs. My guess is that it's not a problem in this sport anything like the level it is in say cycling (or even football, where the main stars pretty much just refuse to be tested).

It was fascinating how in baseball a few years ago with Barry Bonds etc how the whole institution rebelled against testing.... and so no testing occured.

In reply to Paul Doran: A number of years ago in one of his magazin articles Stevie Haston insinuated that a few high end ice climbers were taking steroids to aid their performance. I've also heard mention of it amongst Nth American boulderers but nothing that's been anything more than anecdotal.

In reply to Paul Doran: in my op, if you cant be on a mountain without the aid of drugs then you really shouldn't be there.

In reply to Paul Doran: I would say pro rugby players put their bodies through a lot more than any alpinist ever would(unless you count falling down eigers north face) rugby players and climbers are chalk and cheese.back to steroids,I know a lad who takes them,although strong as a bull and shoulders like one.he would never make a climber,far too bulky.

In reply to pdufus:

In the Valleys, south Wales, steroid abuse is rife. I knew a coach of one of the top amateur teams down there and he was really worried by the amount of teenagers turning to drugs. He put it down to low self esteem, before they had the mines, what they called 'real' jobs, now they don't have that sort of work, many have turned to the gyms and then drugs.

In reply to Paul Doran:

I think Iggy Pop has done more than his fair share of most chemicals, but he partly attributes his unusual physique to steroids. He's not huge but he's pretty lean on it:

http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/Iggy-Pop-annie-leibowitz-1425...

I do not endorse Mr Pop's lifestyle nor any insurance products he advertises. He is 27 years old.

In reply to Turdus torquatus: saw the latest advert today he is in and he looking big now!not bad for a old [email protected] reznor is now built like the end of a house

In reply to Paul Doran:
There have been persistent stories of the potent steroid dexamethasone being used to aid performance at extreme altitude (we're talking over 7000m), this drug is usually carried by teams as an emergency medicine for temporary treatment of Cerebral Oedema (the drug can get a critical patient on his feet long enough to descend). However it has been alleged that some individuals have been taking the drug to enable them to get up to extreme altitudes in the first place. This strikes me as foolish and dangerous as the potential safety net the drug offers is negated and the drug may mean individuals push beyond their natural physical limits and place themselves in greater danger.
It does illustrate that when certain individuals become obsessed by a specific goal they are sometimes prepared to go to any lengths to achieve it.

In reply to The Ivanator:

I think that's always been true and always will be. People will always try to push physical boundaries beyond their natural limits. Some activities really seem obvious ones for drugs to help, but without being in the 'steriod' category most people thing of when the topic of drug cheat's is mentioned.

Your example of high alititude adapration is one.

Free-divers are another one, the champion free divers hold their breath for around 5 minutes...that's silly, I don't know, but I'm sure certain drugs could help here.

Golfers. Someting to calm their nerves so that they're relaxed before the big shot.

There are probably a load of others.