Doping Health and Sports

This is to please one of my readers!

Brigitte McMahon Huber (born March 25, 1967 in Baar) is an athlete from Switzerland, who competed in triathlon.

McMahon competed at the first Olympic triathlon at the 2000 Summer Olympics. She won the gold medal with a total time of 2:00:40.52, which is still (as of 2005) the fastest time for a female in an Olympic triathlon. Her split times were 19:44.58 for the swim, 1:05:42.30 for the cycling and 0:35:13.64 for the run.

Huber competed at the second Olympic triathlon at the 2004 Summer Olympics, finishing tenth with a total time of 2:07:07.73.

McMahon tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO) doping during a competition in June 2005, though she maintains that she did not begin doping until well after the 2000 Sydney Olympics where she won her gold medal. She was immediately removed from the Swiss national team and was facing a two-year ban from triathlon when she retired.

n sports, doping refers to the use of performance-enhancing drugs, particularly those forbidden by organizations that regulate competitions. Another form of doping is blood doping, either by blood transfusion or use of the hormone erythropoietin (EPO). Also considered “doping” by many is the use of substances that mask other forms of doping.^{[citation needed]}

Doping is considered unethical by most international sports organizations and especially the International Olympic Committee. The reasons are mainly the health threat of performance-enhancing drugs, the equality of opportunity of the athletes and the exemplary effect of “clean” (doping-free) sports in the public.

This entry concerns the doping of humans. In horses races, polo, and greyhound racing, horses and greyhounds can also be doped.

Health and Sports

I found this very interesting health related article I hope it is of good use to you all …enjoy!

What are GMO foods?

GMO foods are made from genetically modified organisms, usually plants. The plants have altered genes and thus attributes that make them easier to farm. Some can resist pests better than natural varieties. Others don’t mind chemical insecticides and most can out-grow and out-produce their natural cousins.

The first GMO was a tomato plant, grown by the California company Calgene in 1994. It produced rot-resistant tomatoes dubbed Flavr Savrs. These mutated tomatoes were much more expensive than regular tomatoes and were usurped by conventional varieties. Today, many crops have been genetically modified, including soybeans, corn, cotton, and canola. Most GMO crops are grown in North America, specifically the U.S.

Keep in mind, however, that humans have been genetically modifying their crops for a millennium through selective breeding. The main difference is technique. GM crops are modified by direct manipulation of the plants DNA. Old-fashioned crops are modified the old-fashioned way, by breeding.

Why make GMOs?

The down and dirty answer is quite simply: Profits. Farming is tough. A blight or pest invasion can devastate a years’ work in no time and wipe out an entire farm altogether. This uncertainty makes farming a bad investment. Bad investments and poor profits make corporations and consumers unhappy. GMO crops can be more resistant to the slings and arrows of life, bringing much-needed stability to farming. They can also increase output, which leads to lower prices and more satiated vegetarians (or humans, for that matter). Hence, big agribusinesses have dumped a lot of money and time into GMO crops. But that’s just one side of the story. Many scientists say that GMO crops have the potential to solve the world’s hunger problems as well.

Are GMOs safe?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other governmental agencies say yes. Each has its own thorough and bureaucratic methods for ensuring complete safety in foods. And for the most part, they work. In 1999, however, a Scottish biochemist allegedly found evidence that GMO potatoes were toxic to rats. His findings were later debunked and he was suspended from his research institute for releasing the bogus info. Nonetheless, his announcement sparked turmoil in Europe over GM crops. Many Europeans simply refused to accept foods made from GM crops or animals. Today the modified crops are rare in Europe and many North American consumers (and scientists) believe that the FDA’s safety procedures are too lax. They point to big agribusinesses, who have a big influence on American politics and the FDA. So the real answer to this question is — probably, but there’s always a risk.