The Olympics (mercifully) is over. There were four doping incidents, one of which was a doozy. So this is a fine time to discuss a lesser-known class of drugs called SARMs? These drugs are not anabolic steroids, but they act very much like them. (Bodybuilders love them, too.)
olympics
It might be wise to consider that while Dr. Amir Attaran was completely wrong in his predictions that the Summer Olympics in Brazil might possibly lead to worldwide Zika virus transmission, there are reasons to believe that the Canadian professor's clarion call turned out to be notably, if inadvertently, beneficial to global health.
Here'e to appreciating how, through precisely-calibrated nutrition, these extraordinary Olympic athletes become powerhouses of performance. Aside from their sport-specific training, it can be argued that Team USA is only Team USA because of the U.S.O.C's Sport Nutrition Team, which puts the right food on the training table and guides each athlete through their individualized schedule of consumption.
Some Olympians are using a recuperative procedure known as "cupping therapy," where hot glasses or cups are placed over sore areas of the body. And while there's no scientific study proving its effectiveness, don't tell that to these pumped-up, polka-dotted performers, because to them the process is absolutely beneficial to their quest for Olympic gold.
Here's a good place to avoid: Rio de Janeiro. What a mess. And it's not only because of the Zika virus. The ocean is going to make many athletes very sick -- and possibly even reading this will make you feel the same way.
Now that Jason Day, the world's No. 1 golfer, will skip the Rio Olympics due to concerns over the Zika virus, given the overall exodus of golfers it seems like it's now an appropriate to ask this simple question: Why are pro golfers the predominant group of athletes bailing from the Games? One who withdrew gives us some insight.
With the Olympics quickly approaching, some people planning to attend are starting to feel that the possibility of getting Zika virus is not worth the risk. The latest is the "Today" show's Savannah Guthrie, who is pregnant. But a new study says the risk of infection is very small, stating that just 16 new cases of Zika will emerge.
While the ongoing issue for many world-class athletes -- specifically, whether to participate in the upcoming Olympics -- comes into sharper focus, we keep hearing from those who are unsettled by the idea of heading into Brazil's Zika hot zone. And with the news that a major league pitcher has recently contracted the virus, the drumbeat for athletes to potentially skip the Summer Games is getting louder. But if they take precautions, should they?
Two Australian manufacturers have developed an anti-viral prophylactic that it will be available to Olympic athletes. Ansell, the world's second biggest condom maker, in teaming up with the Starpharma, maker of the anti-viral agent, says its product provides "near-complete" protection against the mosquito-spread Zika virus. But unfortunately, while the effort sounds worthwhile, it's essentially just window dressing for a major health concern that's gripped a jittery public.