Ergogenic Aids

Ergogenic Aids

• Any substance, man made or natural, that will artificially enhance performance by increasing strength, endurance, etc

• Who uses ergogenic aids?

• Placebo effects?

• Ethical issues?

Anabolic Steroids• Schedule III of Controlled Substances Act• Usage began in the 1940’s• Synthetic substance developed in 1953• IOC banned steroids in late 1960’s• IOC instituted testing at 1976 Summer

Olympics• 21 FB players banned from bowl games in

1987• Recent increase in usage

Effects of Anabolic Steroids

• Mimics Testosterone

• Androgenic Effects – male sex characteristics– want to limit these effects

• Anabolic Effects– increase protein & creatine phosphate synthesis– increase muscle mass– increase aggressiveness**increase oxygen carrying capacity - not proven

Anabolic Steroids - Sources

• Prescription– anemia, replacement therapy, increase appetite,

abnormal protein synthesis– NORMAL dose = 5-10 mg/day

• Veterinarian

• Black Market

Anabolic Steroids - Administration

• Oral – Dianabol, Android, Anadrol, Oxandrin– EXCESSIVE dose = >25-50 mg/day (200 mg/day)

• Injection – Deca-Durabolin, DEPO-Testosterone– EXCESSIVE dose = >100-200 mg/week

• Programs– stacking - use of oral & injectable– pyramiding - then usage– cycling - on/off (6-12 wks)

Anabolic Steroids - Adverse Effects

• Psychological – “roid rage”

– mood swings, depression, euphoria

– mania, recklessness

• Physical– liver toxicity– muscle cramps– acne– balding, increase hair

on body– water retention– heart abnormalities– premature closure of

epiphyseal growth plates

– alters fat metabolism– women - masculine

Anabolic Steroids – More Adverse Effects

• increase blood pressure

• increase cholesterol• increase risk of HA• increase risk of liver

cancer• body stops producing

testosterone• tendon injuries

• illness due to contaminated needles

• increase in number of injuries?

Drug Testing

• Urine test

• Test 1 hr. after announcing test

• Masking agents – Benemid, Corticosteroids, DHEA, other substances

• T/E Ratio– also measure concentration of testosterone and

specific gravity

DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone)

• Natural steroid hormone produced in the adrenal glands– converted to testosterone – anabolic effects

• Medicinal uses – heart disease, obesity, diabetes, amount in body decreases w/age

• Masking agent – normalizes T/E ratio

• Available as a supplement

Androstenedione

• Natural substance – produced in adrenal glands

• Nutritional supplement

• Anabolic effects, increase energy, enhance recovery

Human Growth Hormone(Somatotropin)

• Hormone secreted from pituitary gland

• Effects – stimulate protein synthesis– stimulate growth– increase muscle mass– increase strength of muscles, tendons, etc

Human Growth Hormone

• Adverse effects– acromegaly - large hands & feet– abnormal shaped head– increase size of heart, liver, kidneys– increase cholesterol

• Alternative to steroids– cheaper– harder to detect

Beta Blockers(Beta1 antagonists)

• Decrease activity in sympathetic N.S.• Medical uses - hypertension, angina pectoris, cardiac

arrhythmias

• Reasons for abuse by athletes– cardiac palpitations, decrease HR– muscle tremors– hyperventilation– anxiety, nervousness

Blood Doping

• Purpose - increase number of RBC to O2

carrying capacity

• Technique– remove blood 5-6 wks. before event– freeze RBC– infuse RBC several days before event

Blood Doping• Adverse effects

– difficult to train

– increase viscosity of blood

• Risks– risk of blood clots, HA or stroke

– infection

– hepatitis

**Difficult to detect

• Eryrthropoietin(EPO) – human hormone

Nutritional Supplements

• Pharmaceutical vs. Nutraceutical– vitamin, mineral, herb, amino acid, metabolite,

extract

• 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) – allowed manufacturers to distribute products w/o a prescription and outside FDA jurisdiction.– can only make general health statements

Creatine• Effects

– increase rate of creatine resynthesis during ex.– recycles ATP– prolongs onset of fatigue - decrease lactic acid

accumulation– increase protein synthesis, increase muscle mass

• Adverse effects– cramping, muscle strains– kidney problems; long term effects unknown– weight gain

Chromium

• Effects– regulates carbohydrate supply– assists insulin - increase transport of glucose– increase energy– increase protein synthesis, increase muscle mass– decrease body fat????

– Is a trace element– Be aware of liver toxicity– Is not banned by IOC or NCAA

Bicarbonate Ingestion

• Counteracts buildup of lactic acid in anaerobic events

• Dosage needed >300 mg/kg (>35 tablets)

• Adverse effects – diarrhea, electrolyte imbalance

• Is not banned

Nutritional Supplements

• Pyruvate - decrease body fat ?????

• Ephedrine (Ma Huang) – increase weight loss; many side effects

• Guarana

• Green Tea Leaf Extract

• Willow Bark

• L-Carnitine – burn fat faster

Nutritional Supplements

• Ginseng –increase power; affects energy systems; often combined w/ ephedrine

• L-Glutamine – increase function of immune system

• HMB – increase muscle mass; decrease fat