Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2007;37(2):95-102.
doi: 10.2165/00007256-200737020-00001.

Do inhaled beta(2)-agonists have an ergogenic potential in non-asthmatic competitive athletes?

Wilfried Kindermann  1
Affiliations
Review

Do inhaled beta(2)-agonists have an ergogenic potential in non-asthmatic competitive athletes?

Wilfried Kindermann. Sports Med. 2007.

Abstract

The prevalence of asthma is higher in elite athletes than in the general population. The risk of developing asthmatic symptoms is the highest in endurance athletes and swimmers. Asthma seems particularly widespread in winter-sport athletes such as cross-country skiers. Asthmatic athletes commonly use inhaled beta(2)-agonists to prevent and treat asthmatic symptoms. However, beta(2)-agonists are prohibited according to the Prohibited List of the World Anti-Doping Agency. An exception can be made only for the substances formoterol, salbutamol, salmeterol and terbutaline by inhalation, as long as a therapeutic use exemption has been applied for and granted. In this context, the question arises of whether beta(2)-agonists have ergogenic benefits justifying the prohibition of these substances. In 17 of 19 randomised placebo-controlled trials in non-asthmatic competitive athletes, performance-enhancing effects of the inhaled beta(2)-agonists formoterol, salbutamol, salmeterol and terbutaline could not be proved. This is particularly true for endurance performance, anaerobic power and strength performance. In three of four studies, even supratherapeutic doses of salbutamol (800-1200 microg) had no ergogenic effect. In contrast to inhaled beta(2)-agonists, oral administration of salbutamol seems to be able to improve the muscle strength and the endurance performance. There appears to be no justification to prohibit inhaled beta(2)-agonists from the point of view of the ergogenic effects.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2006 Jan;117(1):3-16; quiz 17 - PubMed
    1. Sports Med. 2002;32(9):583-600 - PubMed
    1. Respir Med. 2001 Jul;95(7):571-6 - PubMed
    1. Int J Sports Med. 2005 Sep;26(7):518-23 - PubMed
    1. Int J Sports Med. 2005 Sep;26(7):513-7 - PubMed

MeSH terms

Substances