Viagra has moved from the bedroom to the dressing room. In May 2011, Italian cyclist Andrea Moletta was expelled from Giro d’Italia after police found a bag of Viagra pills and syringes in his car. In fact, there are many athletes from many sports, including baseball, football, bodybuilding, and Olympic sports, who use Viagra to improve endurance and physical performance. The World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) banned Viagra ahead of the Beijing Olympics, but was sidelined because it had no evidence that the supplied drug gave a competitive edge.
How can a product intended for male impotence be related to sports such as bodybuilding? Viagra improves blood flow control. Muscles need a lot of blood to remove metabolic waste and provide energy, oxygen, and hormones. Increased blood flow can accelerate the delivery of essential amino acids to muscles, which will promote muscle protein synthesis and growth. It seems reasonable that Viagra can improve performance and that a bodybuilder can take it.
A 2006 study by Anne Friedlander and colleagues at Stanford University sparked Viagra craze among athletes. The researchers found that Viagra improved cardiovascular capacity during stationary exercise at a simulated altitude of 12,710 feet, but not at sea level. Viagra rises: cardiac output (blood is pumped from the heart per minute), systolic output (blood is pumped out of the heart with every heart beat), and oxygen saturation (percentage of red blood cells carrying oxygen). Mountain bike performance improved 15%. The drug increases the ability to work by lowering blood pressure in the lungs, which increases at altitude. Not all participants benefited from the product, many responded well, others did nothing. Other researchers have confirmed Stanford’s findings, and also showed that Viagra improved work skills in people with lung disease and heart failure.
Bodybuilding is an incredibly difficult sport that requires years of hard work to be successful. Most athletes will do anything to gain muscle and win races. It is clear that they are taking Viagra. Viagra is not on any banned substance list, it is readily available and has few side effects, and can provide significant benefits. The fact that it only worked for a few people above 12,000 feet above sea level and did not work at sea level was somewhat confusing.
Why Viagra can be an effective drug in bodybuilding 
Viagra ( Sildenafil ) 1- [4-ethoxy- 3- (6,7-dihydro-1-methyl-7-bone-3-propyl-1H-pyrazole [4], 3-d] pyrimidine-5-y) phenylsulfonyl] -4-methylpiperazine is one of three FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of impotence called PDE-5 Aromatasehemmer bodybuilding and also includes tadalafil (Cialis) and Vardenafil (Levitra). They work by inhibiting the enzyme PDE-5, which increases the concentration of a chemical called nitric oxide, which promotes blood flow to the penis and other tissues throughout the body. Blood vessels, smooth muscle, skeletal muscle, platelets and lung tissue contain PDE enzymes and the like. In addition to stimulating erection, PDE5 inhibitors reduce systemic blood pressure, pulmonary hypertension, lung resistance, and promote coronary (cardiac) blood flow. Long-term use improves endothelial function, which is fundamental to blood flow control.
These drugs reduce myocardial stress during pressure overload, which is important for bodybuilders, since a significant increase in muscle tension can restrict blood flow to working muscles. Increasing muscle blood flow during exercise can increase muscle strength with consequent consequences for muscle hypertrophy and improved physical fitness, while reducing stress on the heart. They also improve blood flow to the lungs and improve the quality of life for patients with lung disease. These drugs hold promise for therapeutic use in pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases that go beyond the impotence for which they were intended.
To date, there is no research confirming that Viagra improves physical performance in athletes at sea level. The drug is useful for people with blood pressure restrictions that interfere with the transport of oxygen to tissues. For example, pulmonary blood pressure in some people at high altitude increases significantly, making it difficult for oxygen to move from the air into the bloodstream. Viagra lowers pulmonary blood pressure, which increases oxygen consumption and use.
A small percentage of elite endurance athletes have a performance imbalance between heart and lungs. Their powerful hearts overcome their breathing capacity, causing a mismatch between the pulmonary and cardiovascular systems. Viagra can enhance lung function to accommodate these discrepancies between the heart and lungs, which can give them a significant competitive advantage. However, all other athletes are eligible for these drugs.
Lack of physical activity, diets high in saturated / trans fats, simple sugars, and reduced muscle mass compromise the ability of insulin receptors to regulate carbohydrates, amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) and fats. Insulin sensitivity affects the health of the endothelium, the cells that line the blood vessels. These cells secrete nitric oxide (NO), which opens blood vessels in tissues throughout the body. Long-term use of Viagra allows the endothelium to increase its ability to secrete NO. Although, the improvement in Viagra brought about by blood flow control may be more significant in men with poor metabolic health. Viagra does not appear to increase endurance after short-term use, but may have long-term benefits in well-trained athletes.
With long-term use of Viagra, metabolic abilities, improved blood sugar control and increased testosterone levels can also be beneficial. Scientists at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine found that the drug helped restore energy balance and increase insulin metabolism in mice fed a high-fat diet (versus placebo). The animals showed lower blood sugar and insulin levels and better blood sugar regulation after eating a carbohydrate-rich meal. They also lost body weight and fat mass during the 12-week study. In humans, long-term use of Viagra has increased the production of nitric oxide in the blood control systems, which has strong links with insulin metabolism.
Viagra increases testosterone levels, which is the main hormone for increasing muscle mass, strength and aggression, which is very important for athletes. Testosterone is associated with sexual arousal and performance. Middle-aged men who take testosterone improve sexual desire, erection, self-confidence and aggression. Italian researchers found that total and free testosterone levels in men who received erectile dysfunction with Cialis or Viagra increased by 50%. It is unclear whether these drugs directly contributed to testosterone levels or whether they indirectly increased by increasing sexual performance. The frequency of intercourse was higher in men who took Cialis (a long-acting PDE5 inhibitor), making it the preferred drug for men with stable relationships. Men who were sexually active also had the highest testosterone levels. Factors affecting testosterone levels include mental health, diet, exercise, and sexual performance. Men who have a lot of sex are happier, more confident, and have better functioning genitals than men who don’t.
Long-term use of Viagra can also increase muscle strength, strength and muscle size. triggering biochemical mechanisms that increase protein synthesis and prevent protein breakdown in muscle cells. As mentioned, Viagra increases nitric oxide (NO) secreted by the blood vessels. NO helps turn on protein synthesis in muscles, especially when fibers are stretched or stretched. NO also triggers the formation of satellite cells, which add bulk to muscle fibers. To date, no studies have shown that Viagra and similar drugs have similar effects to steroids.
Viagra on WADA radar
WADA took note of Viagra after study and reported where the drug was given to greyhounds to improve performance during the Stanford race. They were concerned that Viagra could improve low-altitude performance and provide a competitive edge in places like Denver, Mexico City or areas where the Winter Olympics are held. In endurance cycling and cross-country skiing, the margins are often in seconds, so a drug that provides even a small edge can be very significant.
WADA is funding a series of studies at Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania and the University of Miami to determine the effects of Viagra on performance and performance at sea level, moderate altitudes and in polluted environments. They also want to know if the drug has different effects on men and women. The results of these studies will determine if Viagra is included in the list of prohibited substances.
We currently need to do a lot of research before we can adequately assess the effect of these drugs on organic performance and athletic performance.