Performance-Enhancing
Substances

Effects, Risks, and Appropriate Alternatives

Ergogenic Aids

§    Definition

  Substances that are reputed to enhance performance

 

§    Types

1. Naturally occurring hormones and drugs that mimic their effect

2. Dietary supplements

Ergogenic Aids

§    Classification

  Drug (highly regulated)

§   A substance which changes body structure or function.

§   Stimulate hormone secretions

§   Looks like medicine and/or is administered differently than foods

  Dietary Supplement (not highly regulated)

§   Highly refined products

§   No positive nutritional value

Ergogenic Aids

§     Basis of Dietary Supplements

   Supplements diet or contains one or more of the following ingredients:

§   Vitamin

§   Mineral

§   Herb or botanical

§   Amino acid

§   Substance that adds to dietary intake

§   A metabolite or extract of “above” substances

   Supplements must be intended for ingestion and cannot be advertised for use as a conventional food or sole item in diet

Ergogenic Aids

§     Currently banned substances by IOC

   Psychomotor stimulants

§   Amphetamines, cocaine, methylphenidate

   Sympathomimetic amines

§   Ephedrine, isoprenaline

   Other stimulants

§   Caffeine (above certain levels), doxapram, strychnine

   Anabolic steroids

   Other hormones

§   Growth hormone, erythropoietin

   Narcotic analgesics

§   Codeine, heroin, morphine

   Masking agents and diuretics

Naturally Occurring Hormones

Anabolic Steroids

§    Definition

  Natural or synthetic derivatives of testosterone that are responsible for the masculinizing and muscle-building responses in the body.

Anabolic Steroids

§      Types of Anabolic Steroids

    Orally active

§   Medically used for maintaining secondary sexual characteristics- dose of 15mg/day

§   Athletes may use dosages of 300mg/day

§   Examples: Dianabol, Anavar, Anadrol

 

    Injectables

§   Clinically used for rare diseases and men with low sperm counts -typical dosage of 250mg/wk for up to 6 months

§    Athletes may use dosages of 1,000mg or more per wk

§   Some injectables stay in body for 1.5 days and others up to 3 months from single injection

Anabolic Steroids

§     Effects:

   Increase lean body mass in both men and women

   Increase water retention

   No substantial proof that anaerobic performance is improved

   No proven benefit to aerobic athletes

   Increased aggressiveness

   Health risks including abnormal cholesterol profiles, liver tumors, temporary infertility, and increased skin problems (e.g. acne)

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin

§    Obtained from urine of pregnant women

§    Increases testicular testosterone production; may later lead to desensitization in testes

§    May stimulate estrogen production leading to development of female characteristics

§    Used by some to reduce body fat

Erythropoietin (Epo)

§     A naturally produced protein hormone by the kidneys

§     Stimulates production of red blood cells

§     Increases in response to endurance exercise

§     Administration of recombinant Epo results in:

   Increase in hematocrit (# of rbc’s)

   Increase in hemoglobin

   Increase in aerobic performance

   Risk of blood thickening, ↑systolic b.p., ↑heart problems potentially leading to heart failure

 

Beta-adrenergic Agonists

§      Chemical substances related to epinephrine

§      Effects:

    Used to treat asthma and other life-threatening medical conditions

    Increase in lean body mass

    Decrease in stored fat

§      Taken by athletes in dosages of 20-60ug/day in 2-week cycles (avoid desensitization resulting in ineffectiveness)

§      Side effects not well established, however:

    May lead to sleeplessness, nervousness, and increased heart rate

Drug Testing

§     Effective programs are year-round, random, and unannounced

§     Tests have been readily developed to identify unnatural substances; more difficult to identify natural substance abuses-usually look for high levels

§     Athletes often use masking agents, such as diuretics to avoid detection

   Used to dilute urine sample

   Can be detected more easily today

Dietary Supplements

§    Not found to be effective in improving sport performance

§    Claims of benefits for improvement of sport performance are unfounded at this point

Dietary Supplements

§     Vitamins

   Not found to be sport “enhancers”

 

   Vitamins C and E are considered as anti-oxidants which may help reduce tissue damage from exercise

§   One study suggested reduction of altitude stress and improvement in time to exhaustion with Vitamin E supplementation

§   Other studies have suggested a decrease in DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness)

 

   Supplementation could lead to toxic conditions or simply waste of money

Dietary Supplements

§     Steroid Replacers

   Substances which are considered to be precursors to steroids such as cholesterol

§   Thought process:

  If cholesterol products are added to diet, more anabolic steroids will be produced
§    Examples:
   - pure butter
   - androstenedione – used by Mark McGwire
            * cholesterol gandroh → testosterone
    - sapogenins plant producers of steroids
    - boron claims to ↑ testoterone but not true

Dietary Supplements

§    Growth Hormone Releasers

  Amino acids that prompt an increase in growth hormone levels in the body

§   Examples:

  Arginine
  Ornithine

  Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB)

§   Very dangerous substance leading to coma and seizures

Dietary Supplements

§     L-Carnitine

   Essential for transport of free fatty acids into mitochondria

   Found primarily in heart & skeletal muscle

   As supplement, difficult to absorb

§   Not proven to be effective in sport performance

   May provide benefit of keep growth hormone in system longer by the increased availability of binding proteins in the blood (from article discussed in class)

Dietary Supplements

§    Creatine

  With supplementation, concentrations are higher in the muscle

  Shown to enhance performance by 5-7% in short-duration, high intensity events

  ATP levels are more readily maintained and not depleted as quickly with muscle contraction

Dietary Supplements

§     Creatine

   Faster recoveries from intense exercise have been shown

   If taken as creatine monohydrate in dosage of 20g/day, high levels of creatine can be maintained in muscle for several weeks

   CHO intake can improve muscle creatine uptake

   Short term risks seem to be minimal except for digestive system disturbances, and other related symptoms

Dietary Supplements

§     Caffeine & other Stimulants

   Potential benefits:

§   Delay fatigue

§   Increase alertness

§   Produce euphoric “sense”

   Caffeine (1 c of coffee contains ~ 120mg)

§   More than 3 cups of coffee prior to competition would probably exceed limit of 12ug/ml (set by IOC)

§   Less than 3 cups can benefit endurance performance

  Due to its ability to increase availability of fatty acids

§   Potential problem → diuresis leading to dehydration

Summary

§    Most ergogenic aids that might enhance performance are banned

§    Dietary supplements are not effective in most athletic performances

§    Many ergogenic aids have health risks