by Dr. Paul Hutinger
Question: What are the effects of drugs and medications on my swim training and performances?
Answer: Many Masters swimmers are on long term drugs for heart problems, blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, etc., or temporary drugs for bacterial infections. Some blood pressure medications are beta blockers, which can cause a decrease in your heart rate, which can effect your performance. Medications affect patients differently, and the Masters swimmer must be aware of the side effects that may interfere with their daily training. Be sure to read the leaflet that comes with your medication, so you are aware of them. Some of the common complaints are a too low heart rate, extreme fatigue, muscle weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath, cough, constipation, diarrhea, etc. If you have any unusual symptoms, check with your doctor immediately, as he may be able to prescribe a substitute that your body can handle more easily.
Most trained individuals do have a greater total body hemoglobin, due to the greater total blood volume. While working on my doctorate at Indiana Univ., we measured the amount of my blood, and I had 15%-20% greater than the predicted blood volume, which is based upon body size. Research studies verify this. If you train year round, three or four days a week, for 30-60 minutes, you are in a special category of a trained athlete, no matter what your age, and have more total liters of blood. With approximately 15% more blood, it appears your hematocrit and hemoglobin are lower than normal. This person may be misdiagnosed as having anemia. Sometimes, it is known as marathoner's anemia.
Roger Franks, a multi world record holder at age 75, recently experienced problems with the side effects of lipitor, a cholesterol lowering drug. He consulted with his doctor as he became progressively weaker and ended up unable to walk without a limp, climb stairs normally, lift himself out of a chair without help and occasionally collapsed on the floor. In addition, he experienced muscle aches, cramps and spasms, especially at night. Needless to say, this was a frightening experience and his swimming was adversely affected. Be sure to inform your personal physician if you are a trained athlete. If he has a background in sport's medicine or has knowledge of your regular training, he can more adequately advise you and your special needs. As competitive Masters swimmers, we want more out of life than to just sit around in our rocking chairs and watch the world go by.
Anyone wanting more info, please send a large SASE to: Dr. Paul Hutinger; 1755 Georgia Ave. NE; St. Petersburg, FL 33703. E-mail: phut@usms.org