What is Meldonium? The drug behind Maria Sharapova"s positive test

Ivars Kalvins - Herzmedikament Meldonium und andere

Tennis star Maria Sharapova announced that she was recently informed of a positive test at the Australian Open for Meldonium, which is considered a banned substance by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

The supplement was added to the WADA list on Jan. 1, 2016 after one year of being watched closely on the anti-doping governing body"s monitoring program. The drug is also banned by the International Tennis Federation"s Anti-Doping Program as a result.

Background

Meldonium is an anti-ischemic drug used clinically to treat myocardial infarction and chronic heart failure. Meldonium was first developed and marketed by the Latvia-based pharmaceutical company Grindeks and was one of the country"s largest exports. It garnered65 million in sales for 2013.

The drug can be taken by capsules or injections.

It is not approved by the United States" Food and Drug Administration. WADA classifies the drug as aS4 substancewhich focuses on hormone and metabolic modulators.

Benefits

Among the positive benefits of Meldoniumin endurance sports are decreased levels of lactate and urea in blood,glycogen increase during extended exercise, increased rate of recovery and increased heart function. The drug was recommended to treat patients with ischemic disorders of the cerebral circulation.

WhileIvars Kalvins, the inventor of Mildronate (another name for the drug), may not call it a performance enhancing drug, clinical trials on humans have proven to show effects. Much like EPO, which was invented with illnesses in mind, athletes soon discovered the benefits for sport.

Some athletes from the USSR have been rumored to use it for years for heart support. Sharapova said she had been prescribed the supplement for about 10 years to treat medical issues, including abnormal EKG readings, a magnesium deficiency and more.

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A suspension for the five-time Grand Slam champion has not been determined but Sharapova will be provisionally suspended beginning on March 12, according to the ITF.

Meldonium in other sports

A recent studyfound that more than 180 cases ofMildronateuse were spread across numerous different sport disciplines.

Swedish distance runner Abeba Aregawi, the 2013 world champion at 1,500-meters, also tested positive for Meldonium last week. She has accepted a provisional suspension and requested the testing of a B-sample.

Other athletes who have reportedly tested positive for Meldonium include six wrestlers from Georgia,Russian cyclist Eduard Vorganov andUkrainian biathlete Olga Abramova.

Just before Sharapova"s announcement,Russian ice dancer Ekaterina Bobrova revealedthat she had also tested positive for Meldonium at the 2016 European Figure Skating Championships

Source: http://www.si.com/tennis/2016/03/07/maria-sharapova-positive-test-meldonium-drug-history-benefits