Medication for which the Colombian cyclist Nairo Quintana was sanctioned.
Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas. Photo: Shutterstock.
Colombian cyclist Nairo Quintana was sanctioned from the Tour de France after traces of tramadol in his blood, a prohibited substance in the official competitions of the International Cycling Union, UCI.
What is tramadol?
It is authorized medicine to treat constant, moderate and moderately severe pain, which works by changing the way the brain and nervous system respond to pain, according to information from the US National Institutes of Health, NIH.
The unsupervised use of this medicine can lead to serious health problems, since the tramadol belongs to the group of drugs known as opiates or narcotics, so it can be addictive, “especially when its use is prolonged,” say the NIH.
Why does it generate addiction?
Los opioids they reach the areas of the brain that control pain and emotions, increasing levels of dopamine, the feel-good hormone, in the reward areas of the brain and producing an intense feeling of euphoria.
As the brain gets used to the feelings, it often takes more and more of the drug to produce the same levels of pain relief and well-being, leading to dependence and, later, addiction.
How is tramadol used?
There is a very important warning when using this medication: it must be prescribed by a specialist, under supervision, and its dose must not be modified without medical supervision.
Los NIH recommend that while taking tramadolyou should be under constant medical surveillance, and talk to your doctor “about the goals of pain treatment, the duration of pain treatment and other ways to control pain”, to avoid side effects.
The tramadol It comes in different forms, such as tablets, liquid solution, and extended-release capsules to take by mouth. Usage may vary between tablets taken every eight hours or extended-release capsules once a day.
Side effects
“take more tramadol than prescribed by your doctor or in a way not recommended can cause serious side effects or death,” warn the NIH.
Less serious side effects of taking this medication include body numbness, headaches, nervousness, body tremors, muscle tension, mood swings, dry mouth, heartburn, or indigestion.
But there are more serious side effects such as agitation, hallucinations, nausea, loss of appetite, loss of consciousness, seizures, swelling in various parts of the body.
And when there is an overdose, there may be difficulty breathing, slow or shallow breathing, inability to respond or wake up, slow heart rate, cold and clammy skin, among others.
The tramadolis highly addictive, so its use is recommended under the supervision of a specialist.
Quintana, one of the most prominent Colombian cyclists in the world, said Wednesday in a statement that he is unaware of the use of this substance and denied having used it during his career. Quintana, who was sixth in the general classification of the 2022 Tour de France, said that he will not participate in the 2022 Vuelta a España.
consulted source here.