Abstract des Autors

Small doses of nicotine produce a stimulation of the respiratory system and can increase the activity of the skeletal muscles. The answer of the body to nicotine is known to be very rapid and powerful. Although the absorption of this alkaloid by the classical way (smoking cigarettes) is contradictory with sport performance, non-official reports indicate that chewing special tobacco preparation (snus) is now the current practice of some athletes. The main effects expected by the users are the increase of alertness and the decrease of stress. Nicotine is a very toxic alkaloid and oral intake produces similar health problems as smoked nicotine. The distribution of nicotine users was established in the athlete population through a portion of the 2000 urines analysed in our laboratory for doping controls during 1996. Secondly, the route of administration of nicotine was tentatively determined by using metabolisation indicators. Results show that in team sports, mainly in ice hockey, football and basketball, the percentage of nicotine positive urines was higher than in other sports. Our laboratory still investigates this problem further in order to establish wether or not nicotine should be considered as a doping agent in sport. In that case, rules similar to caffeine, with a maximum urinary concentration or a specific ratio (nicotine to cotinine), could be applied. Verf.-Referat