Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
Some athletes take estrogen blockers and human
chorionic gonadotropin (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology &
Metabolism, Volume 91, 2006), which have not been banned by sports authorities such as the Olympic committee. Estrogen blockers such as
Tamoxifen, Arimedex, Aromasin, and Femara are used to treat
women with, or at high risk, for breast cancer. Evidently lowering
the female hormone, estrogen, may act the same way as raising
the male hormone, testosterone, to help athletes recover faster
from hard workouts. Human chorionic gonadotropins are
hormones that are produced in very large amounts by a woman's
body when she is pregnant. These hormones appear to promote
cells growth, which includes muscle tissue.
Both male and female athletes can experience strength
gains from these hormones or anti-hormones. Since nobody
really knows all the side effects that occur when healthy athletes
take them, the athletes may be risking their lives.
May 1, 2006