Nutrition
Topics > Performance Enhancing Substances
Contributed by Thomas Higginbotham,
D.O. & William Elliot, MS,
FT, CFT, CNMT, LMT
Important
Facts:
• Performance enhancing
drugs take many forms. Ergogenic aids are actively sought by athletes
of all classes.
• Recent references cite as much as 11% of high school students
may have used steroids. Little validation exists for the purported
claims of performance enhancing substances.
• Any substance taken with the intent to improve performance
needs to be carefully reviewed with one’s medical history.
Drug/ergogenic aids interactions occur.
General
Information
There is heightened interest in factors that enhance capacity for
exercise, training and competition. Performance enhancing substances,
otherwise known as ergogenic aids, refer to the application of a
nutritional substance or medication or diet practice to improve
physical work capacity, athletic performance, and responsiveness
to exercise training.
Considerable literature exists concerning the ergogenic effect of
nutritional and pharmacologic aids on exercise performance and training.
Unfortunately, many claims are frequently unsubstantiated. With
the aggressive marketing, it is no surprise that exercise enthusiasts,
competitive athletes and their coaches often fall prey to the lore
of the latest fad.
Mechanism for How Purported Ergogenic
Aids Might Work Include the Following:
1. Act as a central peripheral
stimulant to the nervous system (i.e. caffeine, choline, amphetamines,
alcohol).
2. Increase the storage and/or availability of a limiting substrate
(such as carbohydrate loading, creatine, carnitine, chromium).
3. Act as supplemental fuel source (i.e. glucose, medium chain
triglycerides).
4. Reduce or neutralize performance inhibiting metabolic byproducts
(i.e. sodium, bicarbonate, sodium phosphate, sodium citrate, pangamic
acid).
5. Enhance strength through their anabolic effects (steroids,
human growth hormone).
6. Facilitate recovery (such as high glycemic carbohydrates, water).
Note:
Table Guide:
Type refers to the aforementioned mechanisms of
action.
Purported Effect refers to the medical and non-medical
claims of benefit as a performance enhancing substance.
Substantial physio refers to the strength of validity
from clinical and scientific research of the purported effects on
the body’s physiology.
Substantial ergogenic refers to the strength of
validity of the performance enhancing effects based on clinical
and scientific research.
Banned refers to the prohibition of the use during
NCAA and Olympic competition.
Adverse Effects/Problems refers to the more commonly
associated side effects and interactions reported in the medical
and scientific literature.
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