The group stage of the Libertadores Cup. AND River debuts in Bolivian against The strongest. The team of Martin From minechelis will play in La Paz, 3,600 meters above sea level. So, to counteract the negative effects, they decided not only to arrive hours before the start of the match, but also to give the players a cocktail, which includes aspirin, caffeine and sildenafil.

River players will consume the substance that is sold as Viagra in pharmacies, through the famous little blue pill. And the mixture with other drugs (aspirin contains acetylsalicylic acid) has the minimum doses permitted by the regulations of conmebol. Now, what is each of the components taken for? What are you looking for?

“He sildenafilInitially, pulmonary arterial hypertension could be treated. That is, when someone suffers from this condition, the arteries are very contracted and do not expand. This makes oxygen exchange in the lung difficult and patients are constantly agitated. Thus, the effect of sildenafil is an arterial dilator vessel. They dilate the arteries and by dilating them the caliber of the artery increases, causing more oxygen to flow. The circulation of oxygen improves and by oxygenating the body improves, fatigue decreases ”, explains the cardiologist and sports doctor in dialogue with Clarín Norberto Debbag (MN:51.320).

And he continues: “Then they realized that it produces an effect with an erection. This is because it also generates a vasodilator effect on the penis. And there’s the same enzyme that’s found in the lung that helps produce better blood flow to the penis and that causes the erection”.

Regarding football teams, Debbag commented: “The use of this blend can help counteract the effect of the altitude. In addition to sildenafil, the cocktail also includes caffeineas a respiratory stimulant (the permissible dose) and the aspirinwhich is used for headaches and because there are no coagulation problems, as an antithrombotic effect”.

Debbag also gave his opinion on because it can be convenient to arrive around playing time. “The body begins to try to compensate for the lack of air, that atmospheric pressure, of oxygen, and that is why it takes 20 days to a month to get used to normal levels. If you arrive 24 hours earlier, the body begins to adapt differently and the services will not be as effective as if they arrived during the day”, explains the doctor.

And he clarifies: “Undoubtedly it depends on each organism. It was observed in selection ajPlayers like Messi and Di María​, which stood up perfectly to the height. There are organisms that tolerate it very well and others that completely lower their performance”.

River decided to arrive in La Paz a couple of hours before the start of the match with The Strongest after spending Monday night in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, a city located in the plain. Also, there will be oxygen hoses in the locker room. In this way he will try to counteract the negative effects of altitude as much as possible.