Dozens of top athletes face disqualification

After tennis player Maria Sharapova admitted to using a recently banned doping substance, the world became interested in the substance meldonium. The manufacturer is the Latvian company Grindex. Meldonium, also known as mildronate, is an anti-ischemic drug used by people with heart and circulation problems, Patria reports.

Ischemia is a condition in which tissues and organs do not receive a sufficient amount of oxygen due to obstructed blood flow in the vessels. Meldonium improves blood circulation. Additionally, the drug improves physical capacity and mental function.

According to a German study, meldonium helps increase athletes' endurance, protects against stress, speeds up recovery time after strenuous training or competition, and increases certain activities of the central nervous system. All of this means that meldonium can be used to enhance performance in athletes.

The World Anti-Doping Agency discovered in early 2015 that an alarming number of athletes use meldonium, indicating that they may be using it for non-medical purposes. It was added to the list of performance-enhancing drugs and banned as of January 1, 2016. The drug is not approved in the United States, but was mainly used in Russia and Eastern European countries.