Wrestling and Creatine Monohydrate Essay -- Sports Drugs Weight Loss P

Wrestling Practices and Creatine Monohydrate: A Deadly Combination? Introduction On December 9th, 1997 Michigan University wrestler, Jeff Reese, attempted to cut 12 lbs in one day. His goal was to wrestle at the 150 lb weight class for the Wolverines in the team's match against Michigan State. Reese died trying to reach his goal. Cutting weight is a common practice in the sport of wrestling. In fact, wrestlers have been shedding pounds to qualify for lower weight classes since the NCAA made wrestling a sport in 1928. Prior to any match, disciplined wrestlers will subject themselves to grueling workouts in rubber suits and overheated rooms. The wrestlers try to sweat the weight off, risking severe dehydration all for the sake of winning. Unfortunately, 21-year-old Jeff Reese, and two other wrestlers, died before he reached the wrestling mat. Doctors reported that Reese died from a heart malfunction and kidney failure (Younge, 1998). In a news report by The Minnesota Daily, Dr. David Wang said, "the deaths most likely were a result of the weight-cutting process" (Younge, 1998). Assistant Coach for the Gophers, Marty Morgan, defends the medically unpopular methods for cutting weight saying, "the medical world wants this [the deaths] to be wrestling related, and the way we cut weight, because for years they've wanted to ban this, and outlaw it and change it" (Younge, 1998). Although many plead for research and scientific data on the matter, Dr. Wang believes the medically community will not be the one to furnish the information (Younge, 1998). The human subjects committee would never allow such dangerous practices, such as exercising in a sauna with a rubber suit on, to be implemented for scientific study (Younge,... ...ropean Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology, 76, 566-567. Quick, J. (1997). Deaths force change in wrestling. Oregon Live: Sports: Local and National, [Online]. Available: http://oregonlive.com/sports/spst/9801/spst01162.html. Stout, J., Eckerson, J., Noonan, M. S., Moore, G., & Cullen, D. (1999). Effects of 8 weeks of creatine supplementation on exercise performance and fat-free weight in football players during training. Nutrition Research, 19, 217-225. Volek, J. S., Kraemer, W. J., Bush, J. A., Boetes, M., Incledon, T., Clark K. L., & Lynch J. M. (1997). Creatine supplementation enhances muscular performance during high-intensity resistance exercise. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 97, 765-770. Younge, A. (1998). Weighing in. The Minnesota Daily [Online]. Available: http://www.mndaily.com/daily/1998/02/09/news/.