1. A class of pharmacological agents on the World Anti-Doping Agency's 2005 Prohibited List. Diuretics increase urine flow, which helps to eliminate tissue fluid. This is important for the treatment of certain pathological conditions such as oedema (excess water retention), but diuretics have been misused to reduce quickly the weight of participants in sports with strict weight-controls. They have also been misused to flush out drugs and reduce the concentration of banned substances in a urine sample. Diuretics can be harmful: they may accelerate the removal of valuable water-soluble minerals and vitamins and hinderthermoregulation. Electrolyte imbalances caused by diuretics may lead to exhaustion, heart abnormalities, and even death.
2. Any substance that increases the elimination of fluid from the body through urination. In addition to the pharmacological agents on the Prohibited List, diuretics include alcohol and caffeine. See also Therapeutic Use Exemptions.
