Gene Injections to replace steroids w/ athletes?

[GIJoe]

Interesting article in our local paper this morn... didn't see other threads on this, so here it is.


Posted on Tue, Feb. 17, 2004

Gene injections could be next rage in athletes' performance-enhancing drugs

Here they grow again.

Gene injections in rats can double muscle strength and speed, researchers have found, raising concerns that the virtually undetectable technology could be used illegally to build super athletes.

A University of Pennsylvania researcher seeking ways to treat illness said studies in rats show muscle mass, strength and endurance can be increased by injections of a gene-manipulated virus that goes to muscle tissue and causes a rapid growth of cells.

“The things we are developing with diseases in mind could one day be used for genetic enhancement of athletic performance,” Lee Sweeney said Monday at the national meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Sports officials said the gene therapy has the potential of betraying the very essence of sport — athletes using their natural talents and training to compete.

Tom Murray of the Hastings Center, a research organization, said it would be like allowing an athlete to compete in the Boston Marathon wearing roller blades.

“Performance-enhancing drugs have been a concern in sports, and gene therapy has the potential to kick it up a notch,” said Murray, who has studied the issue of doping in sports. “It makes the challenges greater (of controlling performance-enhancing measures).”

Murray said he “has no doubt athletes will be in touch with Sweeney” when they learn of his research.

Sweeney said that already half the e-mails he receives are from athletes or sports trainers.






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© 2004 Kansas City Star and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.kansascity.com

[Sir Foxx]

Back in the mid 90's there was a company called Elite Biomedical Laboratories that developed a product in conjuction with Genetech called "Morph". Supposedly it could actually change muscle fibers from slow twitch to fast twitch on the genetic level. The only problem was that it cause uncontrollable cancer in test subjects. Sounds like maybe they've worked out the kinks.

[PC1]

Scary stuff........ though compelling reading, isn't it?

[bioman]

Sweeeeeeet!

Dr.- "Welcome to McGenes, may I help you?"

ME- "I'll take a double shot of Swartzenegger genes with a side of Coleman (minus the IQ deficiencies) please."

Dr.- "Would you like to super size it with some Frank Dux genes?"

ME- "Sure"

[hamper19]

do you think that will be available in a transdermal?

scary, but pretty cool overall

h19

[GIJoe]

Sweeeeeeet!

Dr.- "Welcome to McGenes, may I help you?"

ME- "I'll take a double shot of Swartzenegger genes with a side of Coleman (minus the IQ deficiencies) please."

Dr.- "Would you like to super size it with some Frank Dux genes?"

ME- "Sure"

What a riot!!! You got me all excited about this now