Methylhexaneamine? Vij, experts have answers

Published>Wed, Sep 08 10 06:07 AM

Shot-putter Saurabh Vij is still at a loss to explain why he tested positive for methylhexaneamine, a stimulant which was included in the World Anti-Doping Agency's prohibited list only from the start of this year.

Three days after he became one of the nine Commonwealth Games athletes to test positive, the Asian No.1 carriers along with him sachets of a geranium-based face pack, cooking oil, a can of deodorant. It forms part of his defense. This is because, Vij has been informed that methylhexaneamine is also found in geranium (a flower) oil, which is approved for use in foods, certain cosmetic products and massage oils.

Vij believes application of one of these external products led to him inadvertently consuming methylhexaneamine. Vij has been running from pillar to post to try and clear his name. He hasn't been able to train over the past three days. But with his A-Sample testing positive, Vij knows that chances of a negative result emerging from his B-Sample is slim.

But Vij tirelessly insists he is innocent.

"I have been using oil for face and body massage. The face pack that I use has geranium oil. Hence the urine samples have the traces of methylhexaneamine. If you don't believe me, you can go ask Dr Shila Jain, of the Dope Control Lab. She has confirmed that certain drugs can penetrate the skin and enter the blood stream when massage oils or face packs are used. I have undergone doping tests over the past 10 years and have never tested positive before this," Vij told The Indian Express on Tuesday.

Vij will find it difficult to wriggle out of this predicament because under WADA's dope code this stimulant is a non-therapeutic substance and a non-specified substance. It means excuses for inadvertent consumption will not be entertained.

Though methylhexaneamine has been used as a nasal decongestant, it is more popular in some countries as a party pill because it increases heart rate and metabolism, leading to a surge of energy in short bursts.

Those who are in the know of designer steroids and performance enhancing drugs are rather amused how nine Indian athletes ? a shot putter, two swimmers and six wrestlers?- tested positive for methylhexaneamine

Dr Vece Paes, the hockey Olympian, who specialises in sports medicine told this paper that methylhexaneamine has an effect on the human body which can be compared to revving up the engine of a car. "It pumps up the metabolism rate and increases the heart rate. But it can have an adverse effect on athletes because when they perform their heart rate is already high. So methylhexaneamine can make their heart rate reach dangerous levels and it can lead to major cardiac problems. It can be called as a heart stimulant. This is a rather new drug in terms of athletes returning positive tests," Dr Paes said.

Incidentally, last year five Jamaican runners, including women's Commonwealth Games champion Sheri-Ann Brooks tested positive for methylhexaneamine. This was before the stimulant was included in WADA's undated prohibited list.

Dr PSM Chandran, director (sports medicine) of the Sports Authority of India believes that the athletes who tested positive for the stimulant probably didn't realise it had been included in WADA's banned list from January 1, 2010.

"Methylhexaneamine increases alertness, delays fatigue and can help in fat loss. This is why probably it was found in a shot-putter, swimmers and wrestlers. My personal guess is that athletes have been using this stimulant even before it was banned but didn't realise that WADA had updated their list," Chandran said.

Vij believes that officials and coaches in India haven't done enough to educate athletes about the rather comprehensive list of banned steroids and stimulants, which can be confusing to the layman. "We must be told that banned stimulants could also be part of cosmetics and oils. How am I to know all this. All I know is to train hard."

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