TdF HEART

"When you examine Tour de France athletes, they are probably among the
best-trained athletes in the world," said Dr. Alfred Bove, a physician for
the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team and vice president of the American
College of Cardiology. "This study shows us that even in extreme conditions,
the body finds a way to adapt."

Bove said that in athletes with bigger hearts, doping could prove
potentially more dangerous than for normal people.

Athletes with bigger hearts have more red blood cells, which deliver oxygen
around the body. These cells are thicker than normal cells. So if athletes
decide to use an illegal agent like the blood-booster EPO, they run the risk
of making their blood too thick. That puts them in danger of a clot, stroke,
or heart attack.

"These athletes already have hearts that have increased in volume to adapt
to their training workload," Bove said. "If they then go and use drugs, that
could potentially erase the natural advantage they already have."

============================

I'm not sure I understand what Dr. Bove is saying, when he states that drug
use "could potentially erase the natural advantage they already have." How?
By killing them?

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

"When you examine Tour de France athletes, they are probably among the
best-trained athletes in the world," said Dr. Alfred Bove, a physician for
the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team and vice president of the American
College of Cardiology. "This study shows us that even in extreme conditions,
the body finds a way to adapt."

Bove said that in athletes with bigger hearts, doping could prove
potentially more dangerous than for normal people.

Athletes with bigger hearts have more red blood cells, which deliver oxygen
around the body. These cells are thicker than normal cells. So if athletes
decide to use an illegal agent like the blood-booster EPO, they run the risk
of making their blood too thick. That puts them in danger of a clot, stroke,
or heart attack.

"These athletes already have hearts that have increased in volume to adapt
to their training workload," Bove said. "If they then go and use drugs, that
could potentially erase the natural advantage they already have."

============================

I'm not sure I understand what Dr. Bove is saying, when he states that drug
use "could potentially erase the natural advantage they already have." How?
By killing them?

Yup. Modern medical science has proven that dying is disadvantageous
during cycling competitions.

(The statement didn't make sense to me either.)

Mark J.

it's like hero worship, too much is not good.