Mildronate (Meldonium)

Meldonium, also known as mildronate, was discovered by the Latvian chemist Ivars Calvins in the 1970-ies. The drug was originally created with the purpose of alternative growth stimulation for livestock and poultry. Later Meldonium was used in medicine for treatment of angina pectoris, myocardial infarction and chronic heart failure. It is produced in Latvia under the trade name Mildronate.

Mildronate for athletes is a very “seductive” product, because it is able to increase resistance to physical stress and improve activity during training. The substance also has the potential to reduce nervous, emotional and psychological stress at competitions.

Since January 1, 2016, Mildronate (Meldonium) has been banned by the world anti-doping Agency (WADA) in the list of banned substances. It is recognized that for athletes, Meldonium is a dope, and it is classified by class S4 in the WADA list (hormones and metabolic modulators).

Scandals with Mildronate in sports

In recent years, one of the most discussed topics in sports is the doping scandal. As a result, many athletes lose the trust of their fans. It turns out that athletes who previously seemed incredibly talented and hardworking took drugs that increase productivity. Mildronate is the most popular in scandals with doping samples. No wonder it was added to the list of banned substances WADA. After all, enough evidence was collected and a lot of experiments were conducted.

Meldonium path to the WADA list of banned substances began in March 2014, when the US anti-doping agency received a confidential report that Eastern European athletes were using Mildronate to increase efficiency. By October of the same year, the drug was included in the WADA monitoring list. In February 2015, scientists completed a study of the use and effect of Mildronate in the world of sports.

In September, WADA decided to ban the drug, and the ban came into force on January 1, 2016. In its explanatory note, WADA wrote that Mildronate has been banned because of evidence of use with the aim of increasing efficiency and productivity.

The most striking case in 2016 can be considered the removal of the five-time winner of the “Grand Slam” Maria Sharapova from participating in the competitions for two years. It happened after that in her analyses have been identified Meldonium.

Maria Sharapova claimed that she had been taking this substance since 2006 and did not know that the status of the drug was changed, but as you know, not knowing the law does not exempt from liability, so the decision was approved.

But Maria Sharapova – not the only one who applied Mildronat in sports, there are also other popular athletes who used this drug: Abeba Aregavi from Sweden (the world champion); David Modzmanashvili from Georgia (the silver prize-winner of the Olympic games on wrestling); Eduard Vorganov from Russia (the cyclist).

“In general, the results of the tests of 140 athletes showed a positive result for Meldonium within three months after it was banned” the press secretary of the world anti-doping agency.

Meldonium for athletes from post-soviet space especially enjoys popularity. All due to the fact that it is not difficult to buy and it does not have strong side effects. After the ban, of course, many stopped its use in sports.

How to take Mildronate for athletes

What is Mildronate we have already found out, now it is important to understand how to dose the drug. If you are doing sports, you experience physical overload, the recommended daily dose of Mildronate – 15-20 mg per 1 kg of body weight.

It is best to take or inject (depending on shape) Mildronate pre-workout, before 30 minutes – 1 time per day. The duration of the standard cycle is 6 weeks – 3 months. If you do not make a break, the body will simply get used to Meldonium, so athletes take a break for at least four weeks.

The same effect Meldonium gives you in the form of tablets (capsules), and in the form of injections. If you use Mildronate in weight loss, it is advisable to combine it with L-carnitine.

In addition, it is proved that Meldonium is excreted from the body for about 120 days. This is because of the strong cumulative effect of the drug.

Due to the stimulating effect, the drug should be taken long before sleep to avoid sleep disturbance. It is not recommended to inject Mildronate intramuscularly. The manual clearly states that Mildronate injection is administered intravenously and by oral capsules.

If you do not inject the drug into the vein, this action is very likely to cause an allergic reaction and provoke the emergence of local inflammation with an unpleasant pain syndrome.

Mildronat in bodybuilding

Despite the fact that in bodybuilding Meldonium is also used, there is no evidence of its effectiveness in the growth of muscle mass. Studies that could give a clear answer about whether Mildronate is suitable for weight loss or muscle building has not been carried out. For the most part, all the facts are based only on the responses of those who used the drug or on the assumptions of scientists.

According to the scientist K. Kopachek, Meldonium seems to inhibit a substance in the body called L-carnitine. Usually, L-carnitine transfers fatty acids into mitochondria, where it burns them to produce energy.

But by blocking the availability of L-carnitine, Meldonium stimulates your mitochondria to metabolize glucose for energy, which requires less oxygen. Thus, the effect of oxidative stress decreases and cells are not damaged, the body also begins to use energy more effectively. For these reasons, Kopachek says thanks to Mildronate athletic performance becomes much higher, and the body recovers from the workouts faster.

Medical evidence of Mildronate

Let’s not forget that Mildronate is not only a dope for an athlete, but also a treatment. The drug is able to improve and maintain metabolism and energy supply to all organs of the body.

As with any medicine, Mildronate should be prescribed by a doctor, even in the absence of visible contraindications and the presence of visible symptoms.

The active ingredient of the drug – Meldonium: increases human resistance to negative psychological and physiological factors; normalizes cardiac activity. In addition, the drug protects cells from damage and promotes their stability. Increases the rate of metabolism.

The ability of the drug to optimize the blood flow allows you to redirect the blood flow in the area of oxygen starvation of the heart and brain. As a result, blood circulation is normalized, the body receives a sufficient amount of oxygen and the necessary nutrients. This property of Mildronate has particular importance in ischemia.

Tonic effect on the somatic and autonomic nervous system leads to the elimination of physical and psychological problems due to prolonged use of alcoholic beverages. It eliminates the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, manifested in the form of tremors, memory loss.

Meldonium side effects

Mildronate is not recommended for those who suffer from severe renal dysfunction (insufficiency). In the case of mild to moderate impairment of renal excretion drug can be used, but at a lower dose than recommended for a healthy person.

Mildronate is a low-toxic drug. Undesirable effects do not carry much risk for a healthy person. If you listen to experts or simply read the instructions carefully, you can easily avoid side effects.