Cobalt - A Performance Enhancer?

[matisvijs]

So I was looking through the World's Anti-Doping list of prohibited substances and found that the mineral cobalt is on the list. Doing a cobalt search on the forum didn't return a thread for it and as far as I know, nobody has talked about it in the context of Peat's writings. This peaked my interest, since the substances on the WADA prohibited list usually provide a significant performance boost (at least in the short-term), hence why they're banned.

Wondering if anyone has any input on this - experiences, research? What are it's performance enhancing effects and what are the dangers? There are reports of it increasing epilepsy in rats and it might potentially lower thyroid hormone production, at least from what I've read. Apparently it's in vitamin B12 in small amounts but the WADA website states: 'Vitamin B12 is not prohibited because the cobalt present does not have the same effects as elemental cobalt or cobalt salts. In addition, the amount of cobalt that is naturally contained in food is not significant and would not be enough to act as a doping agent.'

 

[Hairfedup]

So I was looking through the World's Anti-Doping list of prohibited substances and found that the mineral cobalt is on the list. Doing a cobalt search on the forum didn't return a thread for it and as far as I know, nobody has talked about it in the context of Peat's writings. This peaked my interest, since the substances on the WADA prohibited list usually provide a significant performance boost (at least in the short-term), hence why they're banned.

Wondering if anyone has any input on this - experiences, research? What are it's performance enhancing effects and what are the dangers? There are reports of it increasing epilepsy in rats and it might potentially lower thyroid hormone production, at least from what I've read. Apparently it's in vitamin B12 in small amounts but the WADA website states: 'Vitamin B12 is not prohibited because the cobalt present does not have the same effects as elemental cobalt or cobalt salts. In addition, the amount of cobalt that is naturally contained in food is not significant and would not be enough to act as a doping agent.'

Can't help you with the cobalt, but the anti-doping federation is quite possibly the greatest joke ever. Athletes are now on more juice and SERMs/SARMs than ever. IAAF made a huge mistake not restructuring the sport after the 80s debacle...could have created a system wherein athletes would be licensed for 'supplementation' including all the juice and serms/sarms a person could ever want, but no, the idiots dug an even deeper hole for themselves.

 

[matisvijs]

Can't help you with the cobalt, but the anti-doping federation is quite possibly the greatest joke ever. Athletes are now on more juice and SERMs/SARMs than ever. IAAF made a huge mistake not restructuring the sport after the 80s debacle...could have created a system wherein athletes would be licensed for 'supplementation' including all the juice and serms/sarms a person could ever want, but no, the idiots dug an even deeper hole for themselves.

Yeah, I wasn't implying that WADA is great at what they do, you're right, every athlete in every sport nowadays is juiced to the gills (and it's been that way for a while as you eluded). My point was that the things that are supposedly controlled for, generally, have observable performance benefits, compared to some OTC 'supplements', which mostly have minimal performance enhancing effects (if any). Since cobalt was the only mineral I saw on the ban list, I'm simply wondering what's so special about it from an athletic standpoint. Anyways, thanks for the response.

 

[Whichway?]

Have a look at horse racing. I know they have used it their.

 

[redsun]

So I was looking through the World's Anti-Doping list of prohibited substances and found that the mineral cobalt is on the list. Doing a cobalt search on the forum didn't return a thread for it and as far as I know, nobody has talked about it in the context of Peat's writings. This peaked my interest, since the substances on the WADA prohibited list usually provide a significant performance boost (at least in the short-term), hence why they're banned.

Wondering if anyone has any input on this - experiences, research? What are it's performance enhancing effects and what are the dangers? There are reports of it increasing epilepsy in rats and it might potentially lower thyroid hormone production, at least from what I've read. Apparently it's in vitamin B12 in small amounts but the WADA website states: 'Vitamin B12 is not prohibited because the cobalt present does not have the same effects as elemental cobalt or cobalt salts. In addition, the amount of cobalt that is naturally contained in food is not significant and would not be enough to act as a doping agent.'

Here's a link I found:

The Disparate Roles of Cobalt in Erythropoiesis, and Doping Relevance

The main interest in cobalt is increasing RBC production which cobalt stimulates. All animal foods contain cobalt mostly within the B12 vitamin. If you are eating animal foods you are already getting cobalt, which you need very little of. Cobalt salt tablets are likely another supplement scam. The potential for performance enhancement seems greatly outweighed by the danger of cobalt poisoning.

Since the goal with cobalt is to stimulate RBC production, you are much safer and better off increasing consumption of iron, copper, B12, folate. These nutrients are well studied and known to directly stimulate RBC production and generally safe when consumed from food. Also Vitamin A increases EPO:

Vitamin A supplementation in children with poor vitamin A and iron status increases erythropoietin and hemoglobin concentrations without changing t... - PubMed - NCBI

If you want more dietary cobalt just increase intake of animal foods, not much else to say about this mineral except the molecular weight of cobalt and iron are very similar, iron being the main mineral for blood cells. Extra cobalt could be taking irons place in the same way bromine does to iodine.

 

[matisvijs]

Here's a link I found:

The Disparate Roles of Cobalt in Erythropoiesis, and Doping Relevance

The main interest in cobalt is increasing RBC production which cobalt stimulates. All animal foods contain cobalt mostly within the B12 vitamin. If you are eating animal foods you are already getting cobalt, which you need very little of. Cobalt salt tablets are likely another supplement scam. The potential for performance enhancement seems greatly outweighed by the danger of cobalt poisoning.

Since the goal with cobalt is to stimulate RBC production, you are much safer and better off increasing consumption of iron, copper, B12, folate. These nutrients are well studied and known to directly stimulate RBC production and generally safe when consumed from food. Also Vitamin A increases EPO:

Vitamin A supplementation in children with poor vitamin A and iron status increases erythropoietin and hemoglobin concentrations without changing t... - PubMed - NCBI

If you want more dietary cobalt just increase intake of animal foods, not much else to say about this mineral except the molecular weight of cobalt and iron are very similar, iron being the main mineral for blood cells. Extra cobalt could be taking irons place in the same way bromine does to iodine.

Hey, thanks for the thorough research article! Seems that, from reading it, there actually haven't been any studies done that have proven performance benefits in the absence of a deficiency (though a deficiency is somewhat/marginally prevalent). Seems it'd be tricky to dose it though, as you stated. I guess I'll just simply stick to optimizing my androgens and taking my daily B-Complex then to mantain a high enough RBC count.

 

[Hairfedup]

Yeah, I wasn't implying that WADA is great at what they do, you're right, every athlete in every sport nowadays is juiced to the gills (and it's been that way for a while as you eluded). My point was that the things that are supposedly controlled for, generally, have observable performance benefits, compared to some OTC 'supplements', which mostly have minimal performance enhancing effects (if any). Since cobalt was the only mineral I saw on the ban list, I'm simply wondering what's so special about it from an athletic standpoint. Anyways, thanks for the response.

Hey sorry, I went on a complete tangent lol...I came up through the track system. Cobalt is indeed very interesting..I too wonder how it can supposedly boost performance/