Performamce-enhancing questions surround ED drug

The latest performance-enhancing drug on the field is one that also boosts performance in the bedroom. Pfizer's best-selling ED drug Sildenafil, according to a study in the Journal of Applied Physiology, improved lung function and blood flow to cyclists' muscles at high altitudes. However, in the spotlight are some baseball players who have had issues with other performance enhancers, including steroids. 

One player who tested positive for steroid use, ex-Texas Ranger Rafael Palmeiro, was the pitchman for the ED drug's ad campaigns. Ironically, steroid use can lead to impotence, which Sildenafil aims to counteract. Likewise, infamous ex-Yankee Roger Clemens is one who allegedly used the drug, perhaps while allegedly using steroids. Perhaps even more ironically, the drug was an official sponsor of Major League Baseball for several years. 

Unlike steroids, Major League Baseball has not banned Sildenafil thus far. However, there is word that the World Anti-Doping Agency, as well as at least three U.S. universities, are exploring whether taking the drug provides an unfair advantage to athletes.

- see the Wall Street Journal Health Blog post
- here's what the New York Daily News report
- read the latest at Sporting News

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