Hormones in Sport (7)

Question 1

There is widespread use of hormones in all levels of sport. The hormones include _____, anabolic steroids and _____.

Answer 1

human growth hormone

erythropoietin.

Question 2

Over a period of 20 years, it appears that abuse of growth hormone (HG) is present in all levels of sport. This is partly due to the fact that GH is more ____ to detect than most other performance enhancing drugs, such as anabolic steroids. Claims that growth hormone enhances physical performance are not supported by the _____ ______, although the perception that it does is common among sports people.

Answer 2

difficult

scientific literature

Question 3

Why are anabolic steroids the controversial in the sports world?

Answer 3

Anabolic steroids are controversial in the sports world because of the health risks associated with them and their unproven performance benefits. Most are illegal and are banned by professional sports organizations and medical associations.

Question 4

What happens if an athlete is caught using steroids?

Answer 4

If an athlete is caught using steroids, his or her career can be destroyed. Being a star athlete means training the healthy way: eating the right foods, practicing and strength training without the use of drugs.

Question 5

Anabolic steroids are a common term for ___hormones (testosterone) and ___ hormones (oestrogen and progesterone).

Answer 5

Male

Female

Question 6

What are the effects of anabolic steroids on athletes? (3)

Answer 6

• making muscles bigger
• anabolic steroids may help athletes recover from a hard workout more quickly by reducing the muscle damage that occurs during the training session
• enables athletes to work out harder and more frequently.

In addition, some athletes may like the aggressive feelings they get when they take the drugs.

Question 7

What do Testosterone and Androgenic Anabolic Steroids (AASS derivatives of the male hormone testosterone) do?

Answer 7

They increase protein synthesis and can increase lean muscle mass. These are still the drugs chosen by modern-day cheaters and cheating nations.

Question 8

What are the side effects of anabolic steroids? (3)

Answer 8

• Men may develop prominent breasts, baldness, shrunken testicles, infertility and impotence.
• Women may develop a deeper voice, enlarged clitoris, increased body hair, baldness and infrequent or absent periods.
• Both men and women may experience severe liver abnormalities and tumors, acne, increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture, high blood pressure (hypertension), heart and circulatory problems, aggressive behaviors, rage or violence, psychiatric disorders, such as depression development in teenagers

Question 9

What are the effects of female hormones? (2)

Answer 9

Female hormones also have anabolic and inhibited growth effects, although not as marked as male hormones.

• Athletes who return to training after pregnancy (with its high levels of female hormones) often find that they are stronger than they were before.
• Oral contraceptives are permitted substances and may well be desirable. They tend to reduce menstrual loss and therefore there is less chance of an iron deficiency. As well as making menstruation more tolerable, they can be used to adjust its timing so that the competitor is not premenstrual or menstruating during an important event.

Question 10

What is EPO?

Answer 10

Erythropoietin (EPO) EPO is a naturally occurring hormone produced in the kidney to regulate red blood cell formation.

Question 11

What does EPO do for athletes?

Answer 11

Introduced EPO increases red blood production to unnatural levels. The increase improves the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. Some reports claim an up to a 15% improvement in endurance performance in sporting activities.

Question 12

Introduced EPO is not easy to detect in the body as it only lasts in the body for a short time, up to __ hours.

Answer 12

24

Question 13

Why is EPO dangerous?

Answer 13

EPO abuse is very dangerous as it ‘thickens’ blood, which can cause strokes and heart attacks.

Question 14

• ___ ____ ____ (hCG) and luteinizing hormone (LH) : increases the body’s production of ____.
• Insulin : works with GH to control blood glucose.

Answer 14

Human chorionic gonadotrophin

testosterone.

Question 15

What is the value or cortisol for athletes?

Answer 15

Cortisol increases glucose levels in the blood making it available for muscles to use, which increases the release of energy. It also temporarily inhibits other systems of the body, such as digestion, growth and the immune system - so saving energy for physical activity.

Question 16

What is the value or adrenalin for athletes?

Answer 16

Adrenaline increases heart rate, force of muscle contraction and respiration. It also stimulates the central nervous system making the mind more alert. The body begins to sweat more, in preparation to cool the muscles and the pupils dilate in an effort to take in more of the surroundings.

Question 17

Cortisol has a ____ (breakdown) effect on muscle tissue, which for sportspeople is undesirable. The muscles are able to recover if the body is rested after training. However, sportspeople often over-train and their cortisol becomes chronically _____. Performance will therefore be ____ affected as the muscles cannot recover level becomes chronically affected as properly. To reduce cortisol levels plenty of rest between workouts is vital.

Answer 17

catabolic
elevated
negatively

Question 18

We are all subject to some sort of stress each day be it at school, work, in social situations, and even at home. Our stress system relies on two key hormones:

Answer 18

adrenaline and cortisol

Question 19

When stressed adrenaline will work first getting the body ready for action. Shortly after ____ is released ___l is released, it works for a long time keeping the body in a state of action.

Answer 19

Adrenaline

Cortisol

Question 20

Which effect lasts longer, the effect of adrenaline or the effect of cortisol when stressed?

Answer 20

The effect of cortisol lasts longer than adrenaline, which means that even though it builds up slowly, it also takes a long time to go back to normal in your body. And should you constantly be subjected to stressful activities or situations, which require regular inputs of adrenaline, your levels of cortisol slowly increase.

Question 21

The rise in cortisol has negative effects on the body, which include: (4)

Answer 21

• weakened activity of the immune system, which means we can become ill.
• reduced bone formation, which can lead in the long-term to osteoporosis (progressive bone disease), in both men and women.
• reduced production of protein.
• reduced ability to remember information that had been stored.