Journal of Sports Science and Medicine

Salbutamol, a short-acting beta-agonist, is a bronchodilator that works by reversing airway smooth muscle bronchoconstriction. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) guidelines allow athletes a maximum of 1600 μg inhaled salbutamol; however, there have been no conclusive studies evaluating how this dose affects exercise performance. The current study investigated the use of 1600 μg inhaled salbutamol and its effect on endurance running performance. Using a randomized double-blind design, 7 experienced male runners with no history of asthma inhaled either placebo, salbutamol 800 μg, or salbutamol 1600 μg 15 minutes before a 5-km time trial in either temperate (18ºC) or hot (30ºC) environments. Measured outcomes…