So I did a few searches, here and on google, and haven’t been able to come up with any satisfactory answers. So I’ll lay it on you guys.
A few months ago I began having an ectopic atrial rhythm for which I was prescribed metoprolol (a beta blocker) which I believe is cardiac selective fortunately, since I already have EIA. Today, my cardiologist increased the doseage to 50mg. He has done a couple of IM’s back in the day (he claims anyway) and said that there was no effect on exercise. I then asked why would the IOC ban them from competition, which I believe I have read somewhere (may be wrong). He didn’t know they were, and said it seemed odd since there was no effect.
So my question is, does anyone know if there is any type of effect, positive or negative, on performance? I’m finding more info online about depression and lethargy being linked to them, but the only paper I could find on sports performance was on a password protected site (medline?)
Since metoprolol selectively decreases cardiac contractility (if I remember correctly), thereby lowering BP as well, this should have a deleterious effect on performance if anything. I sure can’t see how a beta blocker would give any advantage! Of course, going into frank a-fib hitting the cold water or on the run sure would have a negative impact
I’m on metoprolol 100mg (aka Toprol Xl), among other things, for hypertension. I notice two things about it. When you start your workout, your heart is slow to catch up so the first 5-7 minutes is not fun. I think it might knock 5-10% off your top gear, but that seems to be getting better. I really don’t notice it much any more but the first 2 weeks or so were not fun. I was pretty groggy and foggy for the first few weeks but the body adapted. I actually like the stuff. I makes me calm and I have kind of a hakuna mattata attitude about everyting now.
check out table 4 in this article
based on the article, beta blockers have a significant negative impact on training…it was written for hypertension but i’d print it out and pay your cardiologist a visit to see if any of the other meds listed could be used to treat your condition…or maybe get a new cardiologist since his “no effect on exercise” comment is way off base. good luck
Agreed, beta-blockers in general reduce performance. A friend of mine felt an improvement in his cycling performance by moving the time he took his medication. Instead of taking it first thing in the morning, he started taking it at night.
PLeas let me know more. I was having a lot of problems with A-fib that conducted through. I let it go for a couple of years but had to get it fixed. I too went to a top notch cardiologist witha tri/cycling background. The good news was I didn’t need the ablation. He put me on the BB Toprol, Flecainide (antiarrythmic) and Coumadin (thinner). I felt better the next day. My max heart rate went down from 162 to 148-150, resting is 60. ( I’m 5"11, 163 and 50 years old, I had a max vo2 of 58 at age 30.) I’ve been to the track with good results, my working HR on the bike is about 106 to 130, running is about 130 at cruising speed. A mile in the lake produces a hr of around 120. Haven’t been to the hills on the bike yet (my fav workout!). I can also do this with caffeine! The Bruce protocol treadmill at the dr’s office only got me up to 138, a very boring session. My doc said I would still have the same stroke volume but at a lower HR. Am I going to lose some performance? I don’t want the A-fib to come back but is there a way to regulate the meds and be fib free? BTY, I am on very low doses of both. I hope to be off the Coumadin in a couple of months. Any info would be great,thanks!
Beta blockers tend to reduce heart rate. While this is a disadvantage in exercise sports, it would be an advantage in sports where heart rate can adversely affect your performance. Off of the top of my head, winter biathlon (shooting), all the shooting events, archery, and concentration sports such as diving, it would be an advantage to not have your heart just hammering from adrenaline.
There were (And probably are) pro golfers that either use or have used/experimented with BB’s to slow their heartrate in competition. One golfer (I think Nick Faldo? Nick Price?) was quoted in “A Good Walk Spoiled” that he tried them a couple times, but that he then couldn’t get a surge of adrenaline when he needed one, so he stopped.
