Ergogenic Aids and the Athlete

  Any substance or strategy that improves athletic performance by improving the production of energy. Derived from Greek words: › ergo (work) & gen (production of)  To increase potential for work output  Group 1 › Performance- enhancing techniques PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING TECHNIQUES  Group 2 › Performance- enhancing substances EXAMPLE Mechanical Aids - Mechanical, or biomechanical, aids designed to increase energy efficiency, to provide a mechanical edge. Lightweight racing shoes may be used by a runner in place of heavier ones so that less energy is needed to move the legs and the economy of running increases. Psychological Aids – designed to enhance psychological processes during sport performance, to increase mental strength. Hypnosis, through posthypnotic suggestion, may help remove psychological barriers that may limit physiological performance capacity. PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING SUBSTANCES EXAMPLE Physiological Aids – designed to augment natural physiological processes to increase physical power. Blood doping, or the infusion of blood into an athlete, may increase oxygen transport capacity and thus increase aerobic endurance. Pharmacological Aids – drugs designed to influence physiological or psychological processes to increase physical power, mental strength, or mechanical edge. Caffeine, a commonly used drug, may increase physical power and mental strength to help improve performance in a variety of exercise tasks. Nutritional Aids – nutrients designed to influence physiological or psychological processes to increase physical power, mental strength, or mechanical edge. Protein supplements may be used by strength-trained athletes in attempts to increase muscle mass because protein is the major dietary constituent of muscle.  Dietary Supplements › Definition › Essential nutrients › Safe in recommended doses  Sports Nutrition Supplements › Marketed to physically active individuals › Chemicals › Illnesses and death › False Labels Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA)  Does not ensure the safety, effectiveness, or quality of dietary supplements.  Supplement Facts label  Health Claims vs. Therapeutic Claims  FDA: “This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”   Allowed › Providing non-ergogenic nutritional supplements › Essential nutrients › Food substances and constituents sold as dietary supplements.  Prohibited › Providing ergogenic nutritional supplements › Many sports supplements (i.e. Androstenedione) › Dietary supplements that contain substances that are prohibited (i.e. Chinese ephedra).      Nitrogen-containing compound Supplemental creatine - Powder, pill, liquid forms and in protein bars Possible ergogenic effects Possible health risks Safe at recommended doses/not prohibited Creatine is naturally synthesized by the body as creatine phosphate  Approximately 95% found in the skeletal muscles.  5% found in brain, liver, kidneys and testes  Excreted as creatinine via urine.   Creatine functions by controlling ATP and ADP ratios when skeletal muscle is intensely contracted. › Creatine phosphate donates a phosphate to ADP that forms ATP.  Creatine monohydrate is supplemented to increase skeletal creatine levels. › Creatine monohydrate is a creatine complex with a single molecule of water. Supplementation of up to 14 grams a day in healthy adults show no negative effects.  Unhealthy adults  › › › › Pre-existing kidney dysfunction Dehydration Heatstroke Muscle cramping  Leads to possible tendon rupture › Other ingredients in drink formulation? Lack of intake of supplemental Creatine has no negative health impact  Genetic disorders  › Improper transformation and natural production  guanidinoeacetate methyltransferase (GMAT) disorder  arginine:glycine aminidotranferase (AGAT)  creatine transporter (CrT1) defect  Effects?  Creatine will increase lean mass? › Supplement vs. Weight training  MuscleTech says: “Extra sugar in formulation will force creatine into muscle cells.” › Who did the research?  Belief systems  Definition Possible ergogenic effects Androgenic and estrogenic effects Risk of prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease Banned substance      Natural testosterone is mainly produced in the testes. › Small amounts are also produced in the ovaries and adrenal glands such as DHEA.  In athletes, testosterone is responsible for increased lean muscle and bone density. Anabolic steroids are properly known as Anabolic/Androgenic Steroids (AAS)  AAS are synthetic forms of testosterone.  › Testosterone is structurally altered to become more anabolic.  AAS can be taken as a pill or injected in the buttocks, outer thighs, or shoulders.  AAS: › Increases anabolism, strength, and muscle growth. › Increases protein synthesis. › Increases the synthesis of creatine phosphate. › Increases body’s nitrogen levels, setting a good environment for muscle growth. Prohormones are a class of AAS that are taken by athletes.  Prohormones are precursors to testosterone.  › They are believed to increase testosterone levels in the body.  There is no scientific determination on the efficacy of prohormones.  Any usage, prescribed or recreational, can have a negative health impact. › Minor to severe complications  For athletes › What grows faster: Muscle or tendons? › Muscle  Can lead to tendon rupture No effect of deficiencies if not taken SUPPLEMENTALLY.  Natural deficiencies  › Sarcopenia  Not normally seen in young adults  Anemia, Osteoporosis  Gonadal dysfunction Effects are well known, and usage is looked upon as cheating.  Magazine Ads  › Using the name of types of AAS with one or two letters added or taken away to make it look like the real thing.  Really it’s just herbal supplementation to “increase testosterone.” › Pictures of farm animals on labels?  HBO: Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel  Microsystem › Income › Religious beliefs › Knowledge of the adverse effects of AAS  Exosystem › Peers › Coaches › Friends  Macrosystem › Media pressure › Educational programs