# Good performance enhancing substances **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 23, 2018, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055 "2018-03-23T03:23:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055/1 "2018-03-23T03:23:08Z")
I would like to enhance my athletic performance, and nobody is going to drug test me at the local tennis club. So far I am leaning toward meldonium, the substance that got Maria Sharapova banned for 15 months. It sounds pretty good. If there are any down sides to it, I haven’t found them on the internet. Any others? I am only looking for things that are legal, won’t cause me to lose my hair, and won’t cause me to have a heart attack on the court. It’s okay with me if it’s banned by WADA though, because what the hell, they banned caffeine for awhile. They banned antihistamines. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055/2 "2018-03-23T04:16:33Z")
Beer has always been my “Go-To”. Except when skiing. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055/3 "2018-03-23T05:05:26Z")
Hm, I don’t drink a lot of beer because I have noticed, in the past, that beer makes me mean. This might not be a bad thing! Maybe it’s just what I need. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055/4 "2018-03-23T05:08:41Z")
If beer makes you mean, try a different brand, or start earlier. About 4 works good for me. The dogs are my witness. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055/5 "2018-03-23T05:11:04Z")
I don’t find beer to be conducive to any sort of running around type game. It’s great for pool or darts though. 3-4 beers until about 7-8 beers is my window of talent enhancement. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055/6 "2018-03-23T05:56:16Z")
And bowling. I need 4 just to get those shoes on. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055/7 "2018-03-23T06:01:26Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > And bowling. I need 4 just to get those shoes on. I need 4ish to even agree to go bowling. But yes. Though after 1-1.5 games, it turns into dance dance revolution or whatever shitty video games the ally has. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055/8 "2018-03-23T06:22:38Z")
The last time I was in a bowling alley it was for a 6yr. olds birthday party. There wasn’t enough beer to make that any kind of pleasant. Horrid. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055/9 "2018-03-23T06:31:17Z")
Let’s just say tennis, okay? Do we need some focus-improving drugs in this thread? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055/10 "2018-03-23T06:40:49Z")
Sorry about the hijack. I have nothing to offer. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055/11 "2018-03-23T06:58:46Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > Let’s just say tennis, okay? Do we need some focus-improving drugs in this thread? Yes. You got some? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055/12 "2018-03-23T12:01:30Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > So far I am leaning toward meldonium, the substance that got Maria Sharapova banned for 15 months. It sounds pretty good. If there are any down sides to it, I haven’t found them on the internet. The evidence for meldonium is pretty equivocal. That having been said, anything that has effects has side effects. So doe things that don’t have effects - that is, some things not only don’t work, they make things worse. In what ways are you looking to improve your tennis game? Caffeine is a CNS stimulant. Creatine seems to have at least some evidence that it helps with muscle mass. Most other PEDs are illegal or unproven. There is no pill you can take that will magically make you better. Hire a good tennis coach, identify your current limiting factors on performance, and work on those. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055/13 "2018-03-23T13:09:58Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > There is no pill you can take that will magically make you better. Hire a good tennis coach, identify your current limiting factors on performance, and work on those. What about buying a really expensive tennis racket? I have always found that it’s my equipment’s fault when I have problems excelling! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055/14 "2018-03-23T13:41:28Z")
I am a competitive tennis player and this has helped me a lot when I play tournaments in the heat/humidity. [Here](https://www.amazon.com/SaltStick-FASTCHEWS-60-count-Electrolyte-Replacement/dp/B01IUVIN36/ref=pd_bxgy_121_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01IUVIN36&pd_rd_r=YE7VY6BS45AHP1MV3AQ8&pd_rd_w=xroQI&pd_rd_wg=o5ViC&psc=1&refRID=YE7VY6BS45AHP1MV3AQ8). ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055/15 "2018-03-23T13:43:37Z")
When I was younger I had amazing results improving my tennis using caffeine tablets. I would take one 100mg tablet before each one hour coaching session that I had with a professional coach. I did this 3 times a week for about a year and the caffeine worked its magic, making my game much better. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055/16 "2018-03-23T13:51:28Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > When I was younger I had amazing results improving my tennis using caffeine tablets. I would take one 100mg tablet before each one hour coaching session that I had with a professional coach. I did this 3 times a week for about a year and the caffeine worked its magic, making my game much better. Agree. I never take caffeine pills, but I will drink coffee before a match for a boost. Seems to help. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055/17 "2018-03-23T13:52:47Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > I am a competitive tennis player and this has helped me a lot when I play tournaments in the heat/humidity. > [Here](https://www.amazon.com/SaltStick-FASTCHEWS-60-count-Electrolyte-Replacement/dp/B01IUVIN36/ref=pd_bxgy_121_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01IUVIN36&pd_rd_r=YE7VY6BS45AHP1MV3AQ8&pd_rd_w=xroQI&pd_rd_wg=o5ViC&psc=1&refRID=YE7VY6BS45AHP1MV3AQ8). I think these chews would also help if cramping/fatigue is an issue for you, regardless of heat. I’ve only used them outside in summer though. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055/18 "2018-03-23T14:09:11Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > When I was younger I had amazing results improving my tennis using caffeine tablets. I would take one 100mg tablet before each one hour coaching session that I had with a professional coach. I did this 3 times a week for about a year and the caffeine worked its magic, making my game much better. Ha! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055/19 "2018-03-23T14:35:03Z")
You might try modafinil – prescription needed. It has been used by some pro athletes and has been banned. The military gives it to pilots on some missions to maintain their alertness and focus. It greatly increases focus; when I was playing poker for a living it made it so the meaning of my opponents actions were crystal clear to me, almost as if I could see their cards. Unfortunately, after a couple of weeks it caused my vision to become blurry so I started making mistakes in seeing my own cards and the cards on the board, ending my experiment. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055/20 "2018-03-23T20:19:50Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > I am a competitive tennis player and this has helped me a lot when I play tournaments in the heat/humidity. > [Here](https://www.amazon.com/SaltStick-FASTCHEWS-60-count-Electrolyte-Replacement/dp/B01IUVIN36/ref=pd_bxgy_121_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01IUVIN36&pd_rd_r=YE7VY6BS45AHP1MV3AQ8&pd_rd_w=xroQI&pd_rd_wg=o5ViC&psc=1&refRID=YE7VY6BS45AHP1MV3AQ8). Hm, I have a sip of water and a sip of a sports drink w/electrolytes at each changeover. Are these better? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-performance-enhancing-substances/811055.md?page=2)