Why do drugs affect sporting performance

Nicotine and caffeine are also frequently used as stimulants but they are not banned in sports. WADA is observing them in order to detect potential patterns of misuse in sport. The risks of using stimulants vary for each drug, but in general are high. For example, cocaine use can cause panic attacks and paranoia, lead to the loss of smell and problems swallowing, become addictive and, in rare cases, lead to heartattack. Amphetamines can cause damage to the liver, kidneys and cardiovascular system, and cause hallucinations and violent behaviour, while long term use can change the structures of the brain involved with memory and emotion.

Jamaican sprinter and track star Asafa Powell was caught using the banned stimulant oxilofrine in A number of Australian athletes have also been sanctioned GLOSSARY sanctioned a threatened penalty for disobeying a law or rule for use of the stimulant methylhexanamine.

The presence of stimulants in the body can be tested by a variety of procedures. Urine is the primary means to test for stimulants, although blood serum can also be tested and, occasionally saliva.

Commonly used tests include chromatography, immunologic assay GLOSSARY immunologic assay an immunoassay may use an antigen to detect for the presence of antibodies, which recognize that antigen, in a solution.

Anabolic steroids are drugs derived from testosterone, a hormone which is produced in the testes of males and, to a much lesser extent, in the ovaries of females. Testosterone is partially responsible for the developmental changes that occur during puberty and adolescence and is also involved in controlling the build-up and breakdown of the main biochemical components of all tissues, including muscle.

Exogenous steroids are synthetically created versions of the testosterone hormone. These substances cannot be naturally produced by the body.

Endogenous steroids are naturally occurring substances in the human body that are involved with the metabolic pathways of testosterone. Because testosterone affects muscle growth, raising its levels in the blood can help athletes increase muscle size and strength. Anabolic steroids can be taken in tablet form or injected directly in to the muscle.

Some of the most common types of anabolic steroids include:. Athletes who use anabolic steroids claim that as well as increasing muscle mass, they reduce body fat and recovery time after injury. But the androgenic masculinising side-effects—such as increased body hair and a deepening of the voice—are not always desirable, particularly in women.

To counteract these side-effects, scientists developed steroids that retain their anabolic effects but have a lower androgenic effect. Androstenedione was used by East German Olympic swimmers and other athletes in the s and s to improve their performances. Medical experts see significant dangers in the use—and particularly the gross over-use—of anabolic steroids. Some of the effects are minor or only last while the drug is being taken; others are more serious and long-term.

For example, anabolic steroids can cause high blood pressure, acne, abnormalities in liver function, alterations in the menstrual cycle in women, decline in sperm production and impotence in men, kidney failure and heart disease. They can also make both men and women more aggressive. Testing for anabolic steroids has come a long way since the s, when basic radioimmunoassay GLOSSARY radioimmunoassay RIA is a sensitive method for measuring very small amounts of a substance in the blood.

Radioactive versions of a substance, or isotopes of the substance, are mixed with antibodies and inserted in a sample of the patient's blood. The same non-radioactive substance in the blood takes the place of the isotope in the antibodies, thus leaving the radioactive substance free. The amount of free isotope is then measured to see how much of the original substance was in the blood.

Today, anabolic steroids and their by-products can generally be detected quite easily in urine, using mass spectrometry. Testosterone and a related compound, epitestosterone, are eliminated from the body in urine. There are problems with this test. Today, anti-doping labs use the combined technique of Gas Chromatography GLOSSARY Chromatography a technique for the separation of a mixture by passing it in solution or suspension through a medium in which the components move at different rates.

This is an analytical method that combines the features of gas-phase chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify different substances within a test sample, effectively detecting differences in the ratio of carbon isotopes in different compounds.

This technology can distinguish between testosterone produced naturally by the body endogenous and that which is a result of synthetic compounds exogenous. Continuing advancements in the detection of steroids and stimulants are currently being developed.

In the U. S, a research team is working on a detection system that is being touted as a fold improvement on the commonly used mass spectronomy technique. The new technique, named Paired Ion Electrospray Ionisation PIESI makes traces of steroids or amphetamines more visible to current detection equipment by introducing a chemical agent which effectively binds itself to the traces, right down to the parts per trillion.

To develop reliable tests, researchers have to know what they are looking for. This is difficult because the development of new 'designer' steroids is an on-going process. The World Anti-Doping Agency is aware of the problem. In they were able to develop a test for one of these designer steroids—tetrahydrogestrinone THG —when a syringe full of the drug was given to them.

Human growth hormone HGH; also called somatotrophin or somatotrophic hormone is a naturally-occurring hormone produced in the human body. It promotes physical development—particularly the growth of bone—during adolescence.

It stimulates the synthesis of collagen, which is necessary for strengthening cartilage, bones, tendons and ligaments, and also stimulates the liver to produce growth factors. In adults, HGH increases the number of red blood cells, boosts heart function and makes more energy available by stimulating the breakdown of fat. Other effects attributed to HGH include increase in muscle mass and strength as well as tissue-repairing recovery.

Still, it is quite easy to see why athletes believe it will enhance their performance. English Rugby player Terry Newton was suspended in after testing positive for human growth hormone, while Bulgarian sprinter Inna Eftimova was banned from competition in after a returning a positive HGH test. If you believe all the hype—emanating mainly from drug manufacturers—HGH is a wonder drug that will remove wrinkles, reverse the ageing process, restore vitality and improve sleep.

Nevertheless, there are some health risks. For example, too much HGH before or during puberty can lead to gigantism, which is excessive growth in height and other physical attributes. After puberty, inflated levels of HGH can cause acromegaly, a disease characterised by excessive growth of the head, feet and hands. The lips, nose, tongue, jaw and forehead increase in size and the fingers and toes widen and become spade-like. The organs and digestive system may also increase in size, which may eventually cause heart failure.

Acromegaly sufferers often die before the age of Excessive use of HGH in adults may also lead to diabetes; muscle, joint and bone pain; osteoarthritis; cardiac limitations; hypertension; and abnormal heightened symptoms of cardiovascular disease. A full description of the testing method is available on the WADA website.

This dual-approach test has been confirmed as robust and scientifically reliable by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Higher levels of red blood cells in the blood result in more oxygen being transported to the muscles, resulting in increased stamina and performance. There are three main types of blood doping:.

Erythropoietin—more commonly known as EPO—has long been the drug of choice for endurance athletes. Although used in a wide variety of sports, it is most commonly associated with cycling—particularly with the disgraced former champion of the Tour de France—Lance Armstrong. Produced naturally by the kidneys, EPO is also available as a pharmaceutical. EPO stimulates the production of red blood cells in bone marrow and regulates the concentration of red blood cells and haemoglobin in the blood.

This is useful for athletes, since red blood cells shuttle oxygen to the cells, including muscle cells, enabling them to operate more effectively. Longer chains of amino acids are called proteins. By injecting EPO, athletes aim to increase their concentration of red blood cells and, consequently, their aerobic capacity.

If EPO levels are too high the body will produce too many red blood cells which can thicken the blood, leading to clotting, heart attack and stroke.

In fact, EPO has been implicated in the deaths of numerous athletes, predominantly cyclists. Repeated doses of EPO can also stimulate the development of antibodies directed against EPO, which can result in anaemia.

The long-term health risks of sustained EPO use are still unclear. The Tour de France hit controversy when the entire Festina team was disqualified after several hundred doses of EPO and other doping products were found in the team car.

Methods such as isoelectric focusing, which is the separation of proteins based on their electrical charge, and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, which is the separation of proteins based on their size, are used to detect EPO.

Since , EPO tests in the United States were undertaken using only urine, however, in recent years the joint testing methods, such as direct EPO testing in urine and use of indirect blood tests as part of the Athlete Biological Passport see below , have been used to help identify the use of newly-developed erythropoiesis stimulating agents.

Find out if your benefits cover the cost of addiction treatment. Fill out our online form for quick answers. Get Help Now: Drug Use in Sports. Table of Contents. History of Drug Use in Sports. Ancient Drug Use in Sports. Racehorses in the 's. Stimulants in Early Baseball. Stimulants in Early Cycling. Why Do Athletes Use Drugs?

For performance enhancement. To self-treat untreated mental health issues. To deal with stress from early retirement. To deal with stress, such as the pressure to perform. To overcome injuries. To overcome physical pain. Illegal drugs. Diuretics to help lose weight quickly. Anabolic steroids. Dietary supplements. Other health food compounds.

Chronic Pain. Early Retirement. Mental Health Issues. Side Effects of Drug Use in Sports. Painkillers: Addiction, nausea, constipation, poor concentration, and fatigue. Common Signs of Drug Use in Sports. When athletes use performance-enhancing drugs, some of the signs they may be using them include:.

Sudden weight gain or loss. Sudden, unexpected increase in athletic performance. Increasingly secretive behavior, such as withdrawing from social activities. Suddenly having an unkempt appearance. Increasingly secretive or withdrawn behaviors. This increase thickens the blood, making it difficult for the heart to pump. The result is a higher risk of life-threatening diseases including stroke, heart disease, and cerebral or pulmonary embolisms. There have been multiple deaths attributed to blood doping.

I raced 13 or 14 years as a professional cyclist. I was racing in Europe full-time, we had European riders on the team, we had European staff. I had finished a stage race in Southern Spain, like a week-long stage race, and I was just like a starfish on my bed, collapsed. He was wearing this fly fishing vest and he reached into one of the pockets and he pulled out this little red, egg-shaped capsule. And that was the moment, he handed me this capsule, that was the moment.

And it showed that they had faith in me and that they thought I had a future in the sport. So, yeah, I made that decision. I knew it was wrong from the moment I put it in my mouth, for sure.

But I also thought that I had to look the other way. This was my opportunity, everybody else was doing it, so I kind of had to just join the club and not think so much about it. That little red testosterone pill led to other things. A month or two later I was introduced to my first injection of a drug called EPO, which basically boosts your hematocrit, which brings red blood cells to your muscles.

Kind of a big deal. And I remember the first time I ever did it, the blood was pulled out in Spain, outside of Valencia, Spain, and it was put back into me three weeks later in the middle of the Tour de France.

So somebody had to transport that over an international border. Serious stuff, serious stuff. My life went from being a wide-eyed, green bike racer from Marblehead, Massachusetts to a few years later in a little bit of a dark world, very secretive, two different faces. Cycling, all of a sudden, became different, it was more about results. After the season, which was probably my most successful season on record, I had great results, had a big Tour de France. I got back stateside after the season was over, it was in my off-season, and I realized I was having a hard time just getting out of bed, no motivation.

I mean, I thought about suicide, I drank to just check out at some points. I called them committee meetings and just kind of think about what I was up to and the consequences if it all went bad, how ugly that was going to look. And I had a bad reaction, my urine was like, black with dead red blood cells, I had a fever. I told the team doctor about it and he watched over me.

Luckily, it passed. But I remember thinking to myself, you know, what am I doing? What am I doing? This is a crazy world. But the power of the truth, I mean, the truth saved me.

There was a federal investigation into Lance Armstrong and the U. Postal Service Cycling Team. And a guy by the name of Jeff Novitsky contacted me, and I was forced to come in and tell the truth in front of a grand jury. And finally, I got there in front of the grand jury and maybe the first 10, 15 minutes were a little bit hard, but then it was just like — PHEW — and it just came out, and for as hard as it was, it felt also just wonderful. But then I realized, wow, what an ugly situation this has been and ugly situation that we all went through.

From that moment on, really, being in that Los Angeles courtroom, I came out of there and I had a new perspective on what I was going to do with my life. Hiding the truth was not included in that anymore. And the youngest asked me why I did it. I would say I take cycling a lot less seriously now, just kind of enjoy it a lot more.