Why would an average marathon runner such as Claire Squires take drugs to...

According to this article, the irregular heartbeat is a red herring in the story.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jan/30/dead-marathon-runner-banned-stimulant-dmaa

Apparently the irregular was 'diagnosed' by her acupuncturist, she didn't mention it to friends, family or her GP, and the doctor who reviewed her medical files seems to think it's more likely to be the substance found in her blood that contributed to the heart attack.

Dave The Ex- Spartan wrote (see)

During a race is one place I never wear my HRM....  I never give a sh!t about it racing, and so long as I make the pub after who cares what it hit during the race

Thats cause youre a man's man .......... me, I dont even take a leak without asking my Garmin what it thinks .....

The only Garmin I have is used in the mountains

"Apparently the irregular was 'diagnosed' by her acupuncturist"

WTF?

Thats like going to a clairvoyant and asking them whether they think the spot on your skin could be cancerous ....... what would an acupuncturist know ........ geez if they had made that public first up, we could have dropped the whole 'irregular heart beat' nonsense straight away.

David Falconer 3 wrote (see)

Dave The Ex- Spartan wrote (see)

During a race is one place I never wear my HRM....  I never give a sh!t about it racing, and so long as I make the pub after who cares what it hit during the race

Thats cause youre a man's man .......... me, I dont even take a leak without asking my Garmin what it thinks .....

What does it say about asparagus?

So the lady took a sports supplement. Which has been subsequently been withdrawn or banned from sale.

David Falconer 3 wrote (see)

"Apparently the irregular was 'diagnosed' by her acupuncturist"

WTF?

Thats like going to a clairvoyant and asking them whether they think the spot on your skin could be cancerous ....... what would an acupuncturist know ........ geez if they had made that public first up, we could have dropped the whole 'irregular heart beat' nonsense straight away.

 

How can you catch an irregular heatbeat in the first place; to be able to drop it? Seriously good reflexes.

David Falconer 3 wrote (see)

Oh dear, someone hasnt actually bothered to do any research before posting, always a danger when trying to contradict someones agrument ... actually a year before she died, jack3d had been removed from most retailers due to efforts by the government to ban the product and concerns over what it contained. Hence why she didnt buy it 'over the counter' but instead on the internet. That should be your first clue when your local supplement store doesnt sell it and you need to source it over the internet.

....

Why is that we have to play by your rules, and that we can't play by mine? Since when do you have more rights than me? You are always free to not read what I post if you are offended. Thats whats wrong with this country, people are looking to be offended all the time.

I feel uncomfortable getting into a petty argument over a sad story. But

• How do you know that she knew that these legal supplements weren't on sale in the local shop?  You appear to be jumping to this conclusion (although, as I said, I haven't read deeply into the case)
• Don't you know that the internet is the new "over the counter".   People treat internet shops the same as physical shops, and would not normally see a reason not to trust an on-line shop. Perhaps you're a bit out of touch.
• It seems highly likely that she thought she was buying a safe product, but you seem desperate to lay blame on the poor girl, calling her foolish and stupid
• Like I said earlier, it is valid and positive to raise the debate, but not by slagging off the poor young girl who has died.

As for your personal attack on me

• You earlier proudly stated that you're forthright. But it seems you don't like it when people are forthright in return.
• "You can give it but you can't take it" is the phrase that comes to mind.
• I never asked to "play by my rules, rather than yours" - it seems that it is you who is now desperately trying to "be offended". You poor lamb.

stutyr wrote (see)

Eggy, one interesting thing that came out of my (quick) search was the loophole that let this drug get out there without thorough testing.  By labelling it as a geranium extract it didn't have to go through the same pharmacology(?) testing/approvals as synthetics drugs.  One of the key steps in getting it banned was proving that it was proving that it wasn't a naturally occuring chemical within the geranium plant, and therefore was a synthesised product (and therefore required more stringent testing, which someone would have to pay for).

PS I don't really know anything about pharmacology and this was only a few minutes googling - so I'm quite likely to be inaccurate!

 

If it's sold as a herbal remedy it doesn't go through the process a developed drug would. It's the reason so many of these herbal supplements can be sold with horrifically bad science used to back up their benefits.

On the heart rate monitor thing. I never run with one on.

I'm a journalist on The Guardian. I was at Claire Squires' inquest today. I wrote it up for today's Guardian online (It's in the paper tomorrow) but am now doing a bigger piece on legal running supplements.

I'm trying to find runners who have taken legal stimulants they later regretted - perhaps they found their were hearts racing after taking the substance or belatedly discovered that one of the ingredients was suspect.

I'm afraid my deadline is very tight. I need to speak to people tomorrow (Thurs 31st Jan), ideally in the morning.

People can talk anonymously if they prefer, although I'd much prefer them to go on the record.

My email address is: amelia.hill@guardian.co.uk

Thanks, Amelia

Amelia Hill wrote (see)

I'm a journalist on The Guardian. I was at Claire Squires' inquest today. I wrote it up for today's Guardian online (It's in the paper tomorrow) but am now doing a bigger piece on legal running supplements.

I'm trying to find runners who have taken legal stimulants they later regretted - perhaps they found their were hearts racing after taking the substance or belatedly discovered that one of the ingredients was suspect.

I'm afraid my deadline is very tight. I need to speak to people tomorrow (Thurs 31st Jan), ideally in the morning.

People can talk anonymously if they prefer, although I'd much prefer them to go on the record.

My email address is: amelia.hill@guardian.co.uk

Thanks, Amelia

What do you consider a 'supplement'? This seems to be turning into making a mountain out of a mole hill. I would explore her involvement with her regular gym if I were you, I don't think this is a story you should angle towards average runners.

Or any runners.

It's not a running story, it just happened when she was running.

It's a really sad thing, but if you make it about running you are condeming more people to die sitting on their couches, which indeed they do...

Well, they're probably prostrate at that point, my bad.

I'm trying to find runners who have taken legal stimulants they later regretted - perhaps they found their were hearts racing after taking the substance or belatedly discovered that one of the ingredients was suspect.

And surely if you really do write for The Guardian, you wouldn't be illiterate.

I'm going to be really pissed off if the broad sheets start reporting like the Daily Crap only because they don't understand the sport.