by tymon_tm on Fri Apr 29, 2016 12:23 pm
asthma has been debated on WW through and through, so let me sum it up for you:
a) yes asthma is as common amongst endurance athletes as... as it can be frankly. data reveal over 50% of cyclists have it, in case of cross skiers it's closer to 60-70%. there was a situation with Justyna Kowalczyk (Polish cross country skier) when she was at her prime, she was furious saying the remaining 9 out of top 10 are asthmatic, and she can't compete with them like against 'normal' athletes, because the treatment they receive gives them the edge she lacks - basically accusing them (and the 'whole gang', esp the Norwegian camp) of doping. later, after the storm passed, she decided to become asthmatic herself.
b) (esp. if you're asthmatic or someone close to you is) no, asthma drugs don't give you no advantage over healthy athletes, because you're handicapped in the first place. those drugs hardly level the chances. and the specifics of a given disciplines (like cross country skiing, cycling) are more likely to cause asthma in the first place. besides, some studies suggest even 1 out of 6 or 7 people in highly developed countries has or is likely to have asthma developed (it's closely linked with allergies, which are often caused by overusing cleaning products, excessive hygiene - yup there is something like that - or highly processed food) so the increased incidence of asthma in pro sport might be due to athletes receiving better and more thorough medical examinations
kkibbler wrote: WW remembers.