When you hear meldonium, a metabolic drug originally developed in Latvia to treat heart conditions. Also known as mildronate, it was once prescribed for angina and heart failure, but became infamous for its use by elite athletes. In January 2016, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) added it to the list of banned substances. The reason? It helps the body use energy more efficiently during intense physical stress — a clear edge in sports where milliseconds matter.
WADA didn’t ban meldonium because it was dangerous — at least not in the way steroids or stimulants are. It was banned because it changed how the body performs under pressure. Meldonium blocks the production of carnitine, which shifts energy production from fat to glucose. This means muscles can work longer without building up lactic acid. For endurance athletes — cyclists, runners, swimmers — that’s a game-changer. It also helps the heart recover faster after exertion. Athletes like Maria Sharapova, who tested positive in 2016, claimed they didn’t know it was banned. But WADA had been warning the sports world for months. The drug was easy to find online, cheap, and sold as a "performance enhancer" under names like "Mildronate" or "Cardionat."
What’s more, meldonium didn’t just help with stamina — it also showed up in recovery. Athletes reported less muscle fatigue and quicker return to training after hard sessions. That’s why it became popular in countries like Russia, Ukraine, and Estonia, where it was widely available over the counter. But once WADA started testing, the numbers spiked. Hundreds of athletes tested positive in 2016 alone. The ban wasn’t about cheating — it was about fairness. If only some athletes could delay fatigue and recover faster, the competition wasn’t equal anymore.
Today, meldonium is still on WADA’s prohibited list. It stays detectable in urine for months, sometimes over 90 days after the last dose. That’s why athletes who took it before the ban still got caught later. Even if you stopped using it in December 2015, a test in March 2016 could still flag you. There’s no safe window. And while some doctors still prescribe it for heart patients, they’re warned not to give it to anyone involved in competitive sports.
So what do athletes use now instead? Many turn to proven, legal tools: proper sleep, hydration, beetroot juice for nitric oxide, and targeted training plans. Some use creatine or beta-alanine — both allowed and backed by science. But none of them work like meldonium did. It wasn’t magic. It was chemistry. And once regulators saw how much it changed the game, they shut it down.
Below, you’ll find real stories and detailed guides on how banned substances affect athletes, how drug testing works, and what alternatives actually deliver results — without risking your career or your health.
