Medical experts have documented no benefits from the use of cocaine among athletes. This is the addicting factor in tobacco smoke that makes smoking cessation so difficult for many persons. Nicotine causes constriction of peripheral blood vessels. It also causes an increase in heart rate that does not result in increased cardiac output. The result of these two effects is increased fatigue and diminished athletic performance.
All effective medications have potential side effects for at least some individuals.
Your child should not expect to be able to perform at his accustomed level if he is taking any medication. Safety precautions for athletes are similar to those for the general population. The most important additional precaution for athletes relates to fluid loss that accompanies heavy sweating. All the above can cause excessive loss of sodium and potassium from the body. The effect of these drugs may be accelerated by fluid loss, as in heavy sweating, diarrhea, and vomiting, particularly in hot weather.