Question:
What do you take to help with this problem during/before a race? As
spring hayfever increases here in norcal I'm finding this to be a
significant problem. I'm not sure I want to take ephedrine or
pseudo-ephedrine, besides being banned it speeds me up way too much.
anybody have any ideas, two races here this weekend.
Answer:
Exercise-induced asthma (EIA) is a significant problem and I think going to a
good doctor is probably a good idea. There are much better asthma meds now than there used to be. There are also
some really nice over the counter meds as well. One of my favorites is
Nasalcrom or sodium cromolyn. It is described as a mast cell inhibitor which
inhibits the response of mast cells to allergens so less histamine is produced
by the body and you are less likely to have an asthma attack . For me, it stops
the itchy, runny nose so you are able to breathe easier. ( I don't work for a
drug company.) If the allergic response is what is starting your wheezing, then inhaled
nasalcrom will be beneficial to you. If your asthma is started by so-called
irritant receptors in the airways, then you will likely need a prescription med
- albuterol or an inhaled steroid. I am not an elite athlete (can't really be
called an athlete at all these days) so I do not know the requirements with the
USCF for making sure that you can use these drugs legally. I think if you have
a prescription, you've covered. I would definitely keep a copy of the
prescription and if you race somewhere where you might be drug tested, I would
let the USCF know that you are using these meds for EIA. One thing that helps to prevent the bronchospasm with exercise is a very
good warm-up. Start slowly, warm-up for a good period of time and gradually
increase speed. That seems to blunt the irritant response of the airways to a
sudden hard workload.
