No Liver and Onions for Athletes at 2012 Olympics

[divingbrit]

Britain and the World Anti-Doping Agency have warned athletes preparing for the 2012 Olympics in London to avoid eating too much liver. Too much of this meet can put them at risk for testing positive for the banned substance clenbuterol.

This is not the first time athletes have been warned about eating meat. I covered a story during the 2011 Pan American Games where athletes were warned to avoid eating any local beef for fear it could be contaminated. This warning was issued after a majority of the players at the Under-17 World Cup in Mexico had traces of the drug in their bodies.

Clenbuterol is a potent bronchodilator that is only approved in the U.S. for the treatment of airway obstruction in horses. Outside of the U.S. this drug is prescribed for bronchial asthma. It is a drug that is often abused by athletes or bodybuilders because it has the ability to quickly reduce body fat and increase muscle mass. For this reason, it has also been used by ranchers to reduce fat in livestock. Many countries have banned its use in food producing animals, however it is still used.

The use of clenbuterol is prohibited in the European Union for use on food-producing animals and there are stringent rules in place to prevent contamination.

This warning is geared toward beef liver because concentrations of the drug tend to be higher in the liver. However, it can also be found in regular cuts of beef as well. The World Anti-Doping Agency has warned athletes to use caution when eating meat in China and Mexico.

The U.K. Anti-Doping agency stated, "The FSA cannot rule out the possibility that if a large portion of liver is consumed containing clenbuterol at permitted residue limits, urine collected shortly after consumption may contain detectable levels of clenbuterol."

While athletes tend to eat healthy and follow a regular diet, it would be a shame to see a bunch of Olympians disqualified for a night out on the town for a treat of liver and onions. However, given that the Olympics are being held in London, athletes should also stay clear of the famous steak and kidney pies (a favorite of my English relatives) because the concentration can be just as high in kidneys as it can be in liver. If you ask me, I think I would recommend sticking to good 'ole fish and chips.

Deborah Braconnier is a former athlete and avid sports and Olympics fan.

Yahoo! Sports