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Placebo doping

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Jul 17, 2012
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I would think that "Placebo Doping" is like any other form of sports psychology (though only relevant to those who would consider doping) in that if you think something is going to help, it most most likely will, albeit not by a huge amount.

The mind usually works to stop the body achieving its potential, creating all manner of excuses to use to justify failure. If you undertake a challenge armed with something that you think will make you better than you will be more less likely to accept failure and push on when otherwise you might have eased off.

I doubt placebos will help anyone exceed their natural potential in the way that EPO does.
 
Mar 10, 2009
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Mrs John Murphy said:
Does anyone know if anyone has done any formal research into placebo doping? I know someone who has done work on pain and placebos but not placebos in a doping context.

I'm surprised (or not that it hasn't been publicised) that none of the various Institutes for Sport haven't tried it.

Le Breton - I'd love to hear more stories.

The reason no one does much on placebo testing is that there is no funding from the placebo conglomerate to sponsor such research. But you may be able to account homeopathic medicine as a placebo (in my eyes).
 
Jun 10, 2009
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Is everyone in this thread forgetting that placebos are actually used in drug trials? And that if the trial finds that the drug has an effect, that effect is measured in comparison to the placebo?
These stories about riders performing after being given a placebo are nothing more than a retelling of the story "the little engine that could".
 
Thanks Cloxxki and also The Hitch, Cyivel, Peterst6906, Dear Wiggo, Maxiton and Mrs John Murphy (also El Chingon in a way)

But with the high hopes created by my post I clearly realize that my other story would be a letdown.

Sorry guys.
 
ElChingon said:
The Argentinian example was most likely a good rider to begin with if that story is actually factual, and still doesn't address if that that rider was already doping on what ever was available to him no matter what he may of thought of the European rider's product availability......

Clearly, you might be right, he might have asked for help from a number of people.

But I can only say what I know.

The idea of the biggest pill came to me because when I was a student I had a friend who went around asking all the medical students he happened to meet to supply him with vitamins and minerals. In his room he had quite an impressive array of bottles and boxes lined up on his large desk.

On a few occasions he would break away in a race and when he was still within sight, he would pull out from his back pocket a really big pill and swallow it for everyone to see :D ( I never witnessed that psychological warfare of his)

He would also keep his punctured sew-ups and time the leaks.
Then, when he would compete against the pros as an independant in "criteriums" he would use one of those so as to get a "free lap" which he could use to recuperate as he changed wheel.

Another of his stunts was to check whether any pros had forgotten to lock the doors of their car as they were still in the race and look inside for any interesting products (forbidden or not), Wolfshohl, if you read this....

He had quite a few great stories, and was good at telling them, not your typical high-school math teacher :D

Come to think of it, is there such a thing as a typical math teacher?

Anyway, El Chingon, if you want the article on the Argentinian race, i can send to you next week when I'm back home.
 
Mar 10, 2009
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I'm the only one who didn't request the story and I get it offered, I'm honored but I think you should post it for the rest who seem to want it more than me. Not that I won't read it but do feel it is a story and I also have a lot of stories.

Half of me thinks the Argentinian was trolling you and probably knew it was a vitamin C tablet and only did what he did to mock you. Large vitamin C tablets are not indigenous to Europe.
 
ElChingon said:
I'm the only one who didn't request the story and I get it offered, I'm honored but I think you should post it for the rest who seem to want it more than me. Not that I won't read it but do feel it is a story and I also have a lot of stories.

Half of me thinks the Argentinian was trolling you and probably knew it was a vitamin C tablet and only did what he did to mock you. Large vitamin C tablets are not indigenous to Europe.

I am not offering you the rest of my story, only the relevant pages in the Argentinian sport magazine so that you can verify the race, the names and dates, and so on since you expressed some doubt about the whole thing.
 

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