Smart Drugs Guide

San Diego Union-Tribune has investigated the drug policies of National Football League (NFL) and players that have been linked to performance enhancing drugs. According to the Union-Tribune’s investigations there are 52 Pro Bowl players that are among the 185 NFL players who can be tied to illegal use of such drugs since 1962.

The San Diego Union-Tribune has done its own “Mitchell Report” of sorts on performance-enhancing drugs in pro football. The baseball Mitchell Report had 85 names going back to about 1993. The accompanying list has 185 names linked to such drug use dating to 1962 and also 85 names since 1993. It includes 52 former Pro Bowl players and four Hall of Famers.

Purple Glove Syndrome means a dangerous skin disease where one’s extremities swell and become discoloured and painful. In a recently released report Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating cases where use of Dilantin has lead to this potentially dangerous disease.

Purple Glove Syndrome starts as a pale blue or dark purple discoloration which appears around the intravenous insertion site 2 to 12 hours after the administration of the drug. Progression occurs during the next 12 to 16 hours as developing edema and continued discoloration spread around all sides of the affected limb. If a patient is fortunate, the discoloration and edema will gradually fade, and the affected limb will heal within 2 to 4 weeks.

Professors and students at the University of Cambridge Science Festival were interviewed about the implications of smart drugs. Here is some comments that were given. Watch the video below.

“I found it was very useful when I was just working. I felt I was more creative. I didn’t have a lot of inhibitions. When I was starting something the idea came to my head, I did something to it immediately, rather than putting it off to later.”

Lately a new kind of energy drink was developed by two graduates from the University of Tennessee. The beverage is named Neuro Fuel and unlike the normal energy drinks, it doesn’t contain any caffeine. Instead, the active ingredient in Neuro Fuel is piracetam.

Piracetam is often used to boost improve cognitive functions. In addition to piracetam the beverage contains 100 percent of the daily value for seven vitamins and minerals. The inventors tell the drink promotes “a happy feeling” in those who gulp it down. The official Neuro Fuel news release says:

In Nature magazines survey the readers was asked about their use of cognition-enhancing drugs. The poll was taken aproximately 1400 readers which most of was scientists and others indicated they were academics or journalists. The results showed 86 percent of the participants had used brain enhancing drugs to improve concentration.

The survey was focused on three drugs: beta blockers, Ritalin, and Provigil. Beta blockers are often prescribed for cardiac problems, whereas Ritalin (methylphenidate) is normally prescribed for individuals suffering from ADHD. Provigil (modafinil) is normally prescribed for sleeping disorders. The given options were “never used”, “used with prescription for a medically diagnosed condition”, and “used for non-medical reasons”.

Dr Nick Bostrom, the director of the Future of Humanity Institute at the University of Oxford argues that drug companies should be allowed to develop drugs that can improve our lives instead of just curing diseases.

Bostrom points out that all the drugs at the market with assumed cognitive-enhancing effects, such as Modafinil, are developed as a treatment for some diseases and disorders, and the good effects on a healthy brain are discovered as side effects.