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Strychnine— The Deadly Rat Poison Once Used as a “Smart Drug” and Olympic PED

Strychnine is a rat poison, once used as PED and nootropic

Table of Contents

Introduction to Strychnine

Imagine calling a deadly poison your go-to “nootropic” for mental sharpness — or using it as a performance-enhancing drug (PED) to push your body to Olympic glory. That’s exactly what athletes and even some intellectuals once did with strychnine, a chemical most people today only know as rat poison.

Long before modern drug testing, athletes experimented with anything that could give them an edge — caffeine, cocaine, alcohol, and yes, even a lethal alkaloid. In small doses, strychnine was believed to heighten alertness, quicken reflexes, and fight fatigue. In large doses, it caused horrific convulsions and death.

From Poisonous Seeds to Isolated Compound

Strychnine is extracted from the  Strychnos nux-vomica seeds. The seeds are produced by the Strychnos nux-vomica tree, native to India and Southeast Asia. Locals had long known the seeds were dangerously toxic, but also used them in minute amounts for traditional remedies — often as a bitter digestive aid or to stimulate circulation.

European colonists became aware of these seeds in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Apothecaries imported them for medicinal use, usually ground into powders and prescribed for ailments like digestive problems, weakness, or even as a general “invigorator.”

By the early 1800s, French chemists Joseph Pelletier and Joseph-Bienaimé Caventou succeeded in isolating the pure alkaloid strychnine . This paved the way for more precise dosing… and much riskier experimentation.

Strychnine’s Medical & Performance Hype

In the 19th century, strychnine appeared in tonics, “nerve stimulants,” and prescription medications for conditions like paralysis and low blood pressure. Pharmaceutical companies marketed it as a powerful central nervous system stimulant in small doses, with promises of energy, vitality, and sharper thinking.

Athletic trainers quickly took notice. Strychnine’s mechanism — blocking glycine, an inhibitory neurotransmitter — meant the brain’s “off switch” for muscle activity was temporarily disabled. The result: stronger, faster muscle contractions and a sensation of heightened alertness .

Strychnine used as PED by Tom Hicks in 1904 Olympics

How Strychnine Became a Compound PED

In the pre-regulation days of competitive sport, there were no bans on doping, and the idea of a “performance-enhancing drug” was closer to kitchen chemistry than laboratory testing. Trainers experimented with various stimulants — caffeine, cocaine, alcohol, and strychnine.

One of the most famous documented cases came at the 1904 St. Louis Olympic Marathon, where American runner Thomas Hicks was given two small doses of strychnine mixed with brandy during the race . He won the gold medal — but collapsed shortly afterward and required immediate medical attention to avoid death.

By the early 20th century, strychnine was well known in elite sports, particularly endurance events, as a “miracle” stimulant. It was legal, cheap, and widely available in pharmacy preparations.

The Turning Point — Toxic Reality

Despite the hype, the risks were immense. The difference between a “stimulant” dose and a lethal one was razor thin. Strychnine’s LD50 in humans is estimated at just 1–2 mg per kg of body weight .

Overdoses produced:

  • Violent muscle spasms

  • Seizures

  • Respiratory paralysis

  • Death within hours

By the mid-20th century, safer stimulants like amphetamines and later ephedrine replaced strychnine in sports. Regulatory bodies began banning it outright; today, strychnine is prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) .

Strychnine Today — An Underground Curiosity

Strychnine’s legal uses are now mostly limited to pesticide applications, particularly rat and gopher poison. Yet, a niche group of experimenters — including some in Reddit nootropics forums — still discuss microdosing strychnine extracted from nux vomica seeds .

Anecdotal reports describe:

  • Increased physical energy

  • Mental sharpness

  • Stronger muscular contractions during workouts

These users emphasize ultra-precise dosing to avoid toxicity, often in the microgram range. While intriguing, such practices are illegal in most countries and carry extreme risk.

History of Strychnine in Sports & Medicine

  • 1818 — Strychnine isolated by Pelletier & Caventou

  • Late 1800s — Sold in medicinal tonics and “nerve stimulants”

  • 1904 — Thomas Hicks wins Olympic marathon using strychnine

  • 1920s–1940s — Widespread PED use in endurance sports

  • Mid-1900s — Replaced by amphetamines & ephedrine in athletics

  • Late 1900s — Banned by sports governing bodies

  • Today — Controlled substance; niche nootropic curiosity online

Final Thoughts

The story of strychnine is a stark reminder of the thin line between medicine, performance enhancement, and poison. Once hailed as a wonder compound in both medical circles and elite athletics, it’s now a symbol of how dangerous “edge chasing” can be.

From the Olympic podium to the poison control center, strychnine’s legacy is both fascinating and cautionary. While the modern nootropics and sports worlds are full of exotic compounds, few can match the sheer audacity — and danger — of this once-celebrated, now-feared stimulant.

References

  1. Pelletier, J., & Caventou, J.-B. (1818). Mémoire sur la nature des principes actifs des noix vomiques.
    Read on Archive.org
  2. Duke, J.A. (2002). Handbook of Medicinal Herbs (2nd ed.). CRC Press.
    Publisher page
  3. Dimeo, P. (2008). A History of Drug Use in Sport: 1876–1976. Routledge.
    Book info
  4. Noakes, T. (2004). Lore of Running. Human Kinetics.
    Publisher page
  5. World Anti-Doping Agency (2025).
    Prohibited List
  6. International Olympic Committee. “Thomas Hicks and the 1904 Olympic Marathon.”
    Read here
  7. U.S. National Library of Medicine – Toxicology Data Network (ToxNet). Strychnine: Toxicological Profile.
    Read here
  8. Reddit – /r/Nootropics. “Strychnine microdosing discussion threads.”

FAQ

What is strychnine used for today?

Mostly as a pesticide (rat and gopher poison). Medicinal and athletic use is banned worldwide.

Why is strychnine poisonous?

It blocks glycine in the spinal cord, removing the body’s inhibitory signals and causing uncontrollable muscle contractions.

Can strychnine kill you?

Yes — even milligram doses can be lethal. Death usually results from respiratory failure during convulsions.

Was strychnine really used in the Olympics?

Yes. Most famously by Thomas Hicks in the 1904 Olympic marathon, where it nearly killed him.

Do people still take strychnine as a nootropic?

Rarely. Some fringe online communities discuss microdosing it, but it is highly dangerous and illegal in most countries.

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