Magazine content is available exclusively for TIME subscribers.Sport: Ruinous Pep
Can the so-called "pep pills"—amphetamine drugs such as Benzedrine and Dexedrine—significantly improve an athlete's performance? Reported the American Medical Association last week: Yes, and as much as 4% in some cases.
In a two-year study, the A.M.A. had teams of scientists at Harvard and Massachusetts' Springfield College run controlled experiments on in athletes in some 1,300 performances. Results: weight throwers improved between 3% and 4%, runners 1.5%, swimmers between .59% and 1.16%.
The A.M.A. launched its study two years after Dr. Herbert Berger of the New York Medical Society charged that the use of the pills was widespread in sport (TIME, June 17,...
Email, Password or Region is incorrect
A required form parameter was missing.
The System is currently down. Please try again in a few minutes.
Email Address is invalid
Password is blank
Most Popular »
- Top 10 Celebrity Restaurants
- Facing the Challenge of China, Should India Embrace the U.S.?
- Pennsylvania College Sells 'Morning After' Pills in Vending Machine
- The Grand Canyon Bans Sales of Bottled Water
- Mitt Romney's Sweet Spot: Just Conservative Enough
- Earth From Above: The Blue Marble
- JC Penney and Ellen, Lowe's and All-American Muslim: A Tale of Two Bigotries
- Four Ways the U.S. Could End Up at War with Iran Before the Election*
- 'Glitter-Bombing' a Politician Could Get You Six Months in Jail
- Why Is Your Boss Moving to Brazil?
- The Upside Of Being An Introvert (And Why Extroverts Are Overrated)
- The Brain: How The Brain Rewires Itself
- Egypt's NGO Crisis: How Will U.S. Aid Play in the Controversy?
- Why Is Your Boss Moving to Brazil?
- Friends With Benefits
- Seoul Searching
- New York City: 10 Things to Do
- Pentagon Rules 'Shift' on Women in Combat
- Haiti Papers Over the Past: The Rebranding of 'Baby Doc' Duvalier
- In Singapore, Finding Peace Among the Pain of Thaipusam
More News from Our Partners
Top Stories on TIME.com
Quotes of the Day »
