ergogenic aids Flashcards
3 types of ergogenic aids
physiological
pharmological
nutritional
pharmological aids
anabolic steroids
erythropoitein (EPO)
human growth hormone (HGH)
physiological aids
blood doping
intermittent hypoxic training
cooling aids
nutritional aids
amount of food
composition of meals
timing of meals
hydration
glycogen/carbohydrate loading
creatine
caffeine
bicarbonate
nitrate
blood doping legal status
illegal
blood doping process
- blood is removed from athlete, stored
- 3/4 weeks later reinjected back into the athlete
what is the outcome of blood doping
increased number of red blood cells
why does blood doping increase the number of red blood cells
when blood is taken out of the body, new red blood cells are made to replace the ones that have been lost
when blood has been produced by body to replace rbc’s when the old blood is reinjected = more rbc’s
who benefits from blood doping
- endurance performers
- aerobic performers who rely on supply of oxygen to muscles
- marathon runners
- rowers
- cyclists
blood doping benefits
- increased rbc’s = increases haemoglobin = more O2 is transported to working muscles (up to 20%)
- increases aerobic capacity
- increased lactic acid removal
- increased exercise duration/intensity
- delays fatigue
- increased energy delivery
blood doping risks
- infections
- HIV
- increased blood viscosity
- increased blood pressure
- decreased cardiac output
- increased risk of blood clots
- increased risk of heart failure
- increased risk of heart attack, stroke
- dangerous is body becomes dehydrated as blood viscosity increases making it harder to pump blood
intermittent hypoxic training (IHT) legal status
legal
IHT description
- interval training of short periods of breathing air low in oxygen and normal air using a mask to deliver hypoxic air
- work interval can last several minutes
- sessions can last between 15-90 minutes
- training can last 4-8 weeks
what does IHT replicate
altitude training
how can IHT be done
using generators, sleep tents
who benefits from IHT
- endurance performers
- athletes who train at high altitudes
- all athletes who want to increase oxygen levels at sea level
- mainly aerobic athletes, also team players
IHT benefits
- increases number of RBC’s = haemoglobin volume = oxygen carrying capacity of blood
- increased mitochondria density
- increased buffering capacity (lactate delay)
- increased aerobic capacity
- doesn’t require high altitude
- easier
- cheaper
- less disruptive than altitude training
- increases intensity and duration before fatigue
- increases endurance
- allows acclimatisation for altitude events
risks IHT
- disruption to training, could be demotivating
- weakened immune system, could lead to infection
- dehydration
- benefits quickly lost
- reduces speed/power output
- increases fatigue, so not suitable for people with respiratory health problems, cardiovascular issues
- hard to reach normal work rates
- tents with nitrogen inflow create a potential life threatening low arterial oxygen saturation below 70%
- reversibility
cooling aids legal status
legal
cooling aids examples
ice packs
ice baths
fan cooling
cold water
cooling jacket/vest
before exercise how can cooling aids be used
- ice/cooling vests soaked
- to reduce body’s core temperature
why should an athletes critical core temperature be reduced before exercise
- to increase value between starting and critical temperature
why should body temperature/intensity be reduced before exercise
- to reduce heat illness
- advisable 10-30 mins before exercise, especially in hot places
who benefits from cooling aids
- endurance performers
- performers who exercise in hot conditions
- cricket
- injured athletes, to speed up recovery
cooling aids benefits
- reduce core body temperature to sustain exercise for longer
- prevents dehydration
- to reduce injuries, relieve pain, reduce swelling
- vasoconstriction - reduces blood flow, oxygen flows to muscles, replenishing them with fresh oxygen
- recovery = flush of oxygenated blood helps to repair damage, reduce DOMS, reduce thermal strain of warm environments
- quick recovery
cooling aids risks
- hard to perceive exercise intensity, could lead to over exertion
- can mask injuries/ complicate them
- can cause ice burns, nerve/tissue damage
- can be dangerous for performers with heart conditions
- not good for the elderly, due to decreased efficiency of vasoconstriction/dilation
- using on chest region could cause a muscle reaction
EPO legal status
illegal
what is EPO
a hormone which is injected into the body stimulating red blood cell production
what is recombinant EPO
synthetic protein stimulating RBC growth
where is EPO naturally released
kidneys
stimulates bone marrow to produce rbcs
who benefits from EPO hormone
- endurance athletes
- cyclists
- swimmers
- athletes who depend on good oxygen supply to muscles
- runners
benefits EPO
- increased aerobic capacity
- increased endurance
- more oxygen can be transported around the body
- increases ability to produce energy aerobically
- total RBC volume can increase from 45-65%
- delays fatigue
EPO risks
- increases blood viscosity, decreases blood flow = heart has to work harder
- increased risk to strokes
- illegal so unfair and immoral
- difficult to test for so performers get away with it
- contamination from needles = HIV risk
- reduced resting heart rate = reduce blood flow
- decreases natural production of EPO which will reduce RBC production, compromising longevity of career
- increased heart rate = cardiac output could overload cardiovascular system
- could lead to auto immune diseases
anabolic steroids legal status
illegal
anabolic steroids use
- mimics male hormone testosterone which regulates and controls how the body works/develops
how are anabolic steroids taken
injection
pills
patches
creams/gels
who benefits from anabolic steroids
maximal/explosive strength sports
sprinting
athletics
throwing
jumping
rugby
weightlifting
high intensity sports
anabolic steroids benefits
- increases muscle mass/hypertrophy and decreases fat mass (body composition)
- increases maximal, explosive strength and power (strength)
- shortened recovery time
- training intensity, quality, duration of maximal aerobic training can be increased
anabolic steroids risks
- hormonal imbalance, risk of acne, greasy hair, greasy skin, hair loss
- liver/heart/kidneys prone to disease/damage
- increases blood pressure and LDL cholesterol
- increases aggression, irritability, depression, suicidal tendencies, mood swings
human growth hormone legal status
illegal
hgh use
synthetic hormone which mimics a natural growth hormone to stimulate the growth of cartilage muscle and bone
plays important role in metabolism
how is hgh taken
injected/ingested in the form of pills, suppositories or creams
who benefits from hgh
- anaerobic athletes
- strength, power athletes
- endurance performers
- high intensity work
hgh benefits
- increases strength, speed, power
- increased muscle mass and strength
- increased training intensity
- quick recovery
- increases production of cartilage cells, helps for bone growth density, healing soft tissues
- increases metabolism of protein, fat, minerals
hgh risks
- abnormal muscle/bone growth
- enlargement of vital organs
- organ failure
- increased cancer risk / diabetes due to abnormal cell growth
- glucose intolerance
amount of food - pre event
- have a meal 1-4g/kg of body mass complex
- 30 60 mins before event have a small meal
amount of food - during event
- if activity is longer than 1 hour, eat small amounts of food frequently
amount of food - post activity
- ingest 1g/kg/hr within 2 hours
- consume a 4:1 ratio of CHO and protein
amount of food - who benefits
endurance athletes
marathon runners
all day events, e.g hockey tournament
composition of food - pre event
- a high CHO meal with low glycaemic index
- e.g porrige
- right before event have a fast digesting simple high GI carbohydrates
- over an hour before the event consume slow digesting CHO’s
composition of meals - during event
- high CHO snack
composition of meals - post event
- fast digesting simple GI CHOs and protein as soon as possible within first 30 mins of finishing an event
composition of meals - who benefits
- CHO meal is needed for all athletes
timing of meals - pre event
- 3-6 hrs pre event, ingest 1-4 g per kg of body mass complex, low GI CHOs, e.g rice
- 1-2 hrs pre event, ingest high simple GI CHOs e.g sugars
timing of meals during event (if longer than 45 mins)
- ingest small amounts of high GIs and CHOs
timing of meals post event
- CHOs as soon as possible
- within first 30 mins of finishing event
- repeat this at 2 hr intervals up to 6hrs post event
timing of meals who benefits
- endurance performers
- all performers need to be fuelled by glycogen/glucose as a main energy source
- football/rugby (45 min+ event sports_
- important for athletes training the next days (e.g tournaments)
food benefits
- pre event = increases glycogen stores
- increases endurance capacity
- pre event food gives athlete more fuel for aerobic energy system so can resynthesis ATP
- during performance = glycogen stores replenished
- allows aerobic athletes to perform longer as they have a greater fuel supply
- replenishes blood glucose stores
- delays fatigue
- speeds up glycogen store recovery
food - negatives
- gastrointestinal problems could occur
- hypoglycaemia and poor recovery rates in depletion stage
- irritability
- affects mental preparation
- avoid CHO meal immediately prior to event as body may counteract the raised glucose levels causing the athlete to feel dizzy and fatigued
- can be hard to eat during activity
- meals must be planned to have better effects
- glycogen depletion risk (during)
- activity may suppress appetite
- (pre) hypoglycaemia = low blood glucose levels when ingesting CHOs 1hr-15mins before exercise
- risk of nausea / cramping / stomach upset as food stays in gut before exercise
hydration legal status
legal
hydration process
- H2O is ingested into body
- achieved by drinking water and sports drinks
what does hydration increase
- sweating during exercise
what does hydration decrease
- electrolytes/mineral/water loss
thirst mechanism
- doesn’t match our hydration state so its better to consume more water than our thirst
hydration - who benefits
- endurance athletes so they can sustain high intensity work
- all athletes
- in high temperature activity where fluid loss occurs
- impacts anaerobic athletes less e.g sprinters
benefits hydration
- prevents dehydration
- prevents overheating
- prevents headaches associated with dehydration
- correct blood viscosity
- improves cognitive function
- maximises glycogen replenishment
- maintains blood volume = transport O2, nutrients, glucose
- optimises cardiovascular function, e.g HR
- glucose rich sports also helps maintain blood glucose levels
hydration risks
- low levels of electrolytes
- nausea
- headache
- muscle weakness
- hypertonic drinks should only be used post events
- increases blood viscosity
- hyponatremia
hyponatremia
- more water volume = less sodium level in blood = fatigue
dehydration risks 2% of body weight
- impaired performance up to 20%
dehydration risks 4%
- decreases lactate threshold during exercise and at a lower maximal exercise capacity
carbohydrate loading legal status
legal
carbohydrate loading process
7 days prior event = reduce CHO intake with a high protein diet
7-3 days pre event = train at high intensity each day causing severe glycogen depletion in muscles
3 days pre event = taper training / rest eat high CHO diet
CHO loading who benefits
- long distance endurance athletes
- runners/swimmers/cyclists
- games players
- football/hockey
CHO loading benefits
- increases glycogen stores (up to 50%)
- increases endurance
- delays fatigue
- reduces EPOC
CHO loading risks
- hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar)
- low quality/intensity training
- increased time needed to recover between sessions
- fatigue during depletion phase
- weight gain in loading phase
- performer may suffer with abdominal discomfort
- performer may not be accurate/ could mis-time loading phase so glycogen stores aren’t optimised at right time
- doesn’t benefit short duration athletes
- muscle stiffness/fatigue in depletion phase
- high irritability in depletion phase
creatine legal status
legal
where is creatine naturally found
liver/kidneys
and is converted into PC and stored in muscles
what does PC do
- quickest source of energy to synthesis ATP for contractions
how can creatine supplements be taken
- soluble tablet
- capsule
- powder
dosage creatine
- 3-5 g daily
- dependent on weight, volume of training intensity
creatine who benefits
- intermittent, high volume, high intensity short duration power athletes
- 100m sprint, powerlifters
- middle distance endurance athletes
creatine benefits
- increases stores of phosphocreatine in muscles
- increases maximal, explosive strength, power and speed
- PC stores could be increased by 50%
- delays ATP/PC LA threshold
- speeds up recovery
- increased fat free body mass
- can increase intensity and duration of training
- hypertrophy
creatine risks
- stomach cramps
- reduces reliance on LA system
- delays fatigue in high intensity activity
- gastrointestinal problems
- weight gain
- water retention
- causes stress on organs (heart, liver, kidney)
nitrate legal status
legal
nitrate use
- dilates blood vessels increasing blood flow to the muscles to remove lactate
nitrate sources
beetroots
leafy greens
nitrate who benefits
- endurance performers
- performers who work at high intensities
nitrate benefits
- delays fatigue
- nitric oxide is released and relaxes smooth muscle within blood vessels this
. increases vasodilation and BF
. increases O2 and nutrients to muscles
. removes CO2/LA
. decreases BP and O2 cost of exercise
. increases high intensity work rate tolerance
nitrate risks
- long term health risks are unclear
- could be headaches, dizziness
- high doses (20-30g) could cause diarrhoea, nausea, vomitting
- lower BP with a high HR
- lower arterial resistance in arms
- not suitable for those with liver/kidney disease
- links to gastric cancer
caffeine legal status
legal
caffeine description
- acts as mild amphetamine to stimulate CNS
caffeine sources
- coffee
- tea
- cocoa
- tablets
caffeine aerobic benefits dosage
1 hr pre event - 3-6 mg /kg/ body mass
caffeine who benefits
- endurance performers
- anaerobic performers/ explosive power
- sprints
- tour de france
caffeine benefits
- increased fat breakdown
- increased nerve stimulation
- increased focus
- increased reaction time
- increased metabolism
- preserves glycogen stores
- acts as a stimulant and increases endurance
- delays fatigue
caffeine risks
- diuretic
- dehydration
- insomnia
- anxiety
- high blood pressure
- high BP
- HR related complication
- addictive
- nausea
bicarbonate legal status
legal
bicarbonate description
- alkaline that neutralises acids during aerobic exercise, muscle blood CO2 and H2O are converted into HCO and H+ ions within rbc’s
bicarbonate uses anaerobic work
- H+ ions are produced faster than we can remove them
- which increases LA build up, pH inhibits enzymes
bicarbonate dosage
- pre activity = 1-2 hrs before to neutralise affect of LA
- to help maintain pH levels
bicarbonate who benefits
- anaerobic athletes who want to increase their speed/power/lactate threshold using high intensity workouts
- performers who want to increase their lactate threshold
bicarbonate benefits
- increases buffering/ LA removal
- increases strength endurance
- delays fatigue
- increases blood alkalinity so more lactate can be cleared
- increases power at lactate threshold
- increases intensity/duration of performance
bicarbonate risks
- can cause stomach cramps/diarrhoea
- can cause nausea/ gastrointestinal issues
- intestinal distress
autologous blood doping
tranfusion of ones own blood
homologous blood doping
transfusion of another persons blood
