Clenbuterol is a public health problem

• April 27, 2024

The clenbuterol is a substance that is prescribed to treat diseases respiratory for being a decongestant Y bronchodilator . However, being a anabolic which promotes muscle growth and inhibits the accumulation of grease in the body, it is illegally used in the meat industry to fatten cattle.

According to information published by the Excelsior.com.mx , FIFA reported that 109 of 208 players who played the U-17 World Cup, tested positive for clenbuterol , due to the intake of meat in Mexico.

Jiri Dvorak , head of FIFA's medical services , detailed that the affected athletes belong to 19 selections of the 24 participants, and that the tests were carried out in the laboratories of Cologne, in Germany.

After these results, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA, for its acronym in English) considered that the issue is a problem of public health , when traces of the anabolic were detected in 52.4% of the participants.

These cases helped WADA withdraw the appeal of exoneration to five members of the Mexican national team who tested positive for the same substance, before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS)

On the other hand, the health authorities of Mexico investigate the illicit use of clenbuterol to avoid accidental consumption, which this year triggered the alarm when the substance was detected in footballers.

Mikel Arriola , Director of the Federal Commission for Protection against Health Risks (Cofepris), said that "the actions carried out by the Mexican government have reduced the number of cases due to this contamination, from 555 in 2005 to 89 in 2010."

To avoid a similar event during the XVI Pan American Games that take place in Mexico, the federal government reinforced the measures against the use of clenbuterol , so that specialists were established to supervise the meat consumed by the athletes in the Pan American Village, the official explained.

He also commented that when a person becomes contaminated with this substance he can suffer threw up Y fever , "but it's not very serious in terms of medical care." In case of ingestion in large quantities hospitalization is necessary, because there may be permanent sequelae.

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