Ergogenic Aids

Anabolic steroids

Synthetic derivatives of testosterone

Anabolic steroid function

Originally used to treat androgen deficiency or muscle wasting diseases

How do anabolic steroids affect muscles

Greater cross sectional area, increases muscle strength

Neural affect of anabolic steroids

Increases myelinated fiber diameter and thickness, increases impulse speed down axon myelin sheath

CV effects of anabolic steroids

Increases in LDL cholesterol, increase BP, and risk of cholesterol plaques

Hepatic Effects of anabolic effects

Increases in liver enzymes and risk of liver disease

Psychological effects of anabolic steroids

Increased aggression and change in personality

Types of infections associated with steroid use

HIV, hepatitis B, and C due to sharing needles

Steroid effect on males

Decreased sperm concentration, thyroid gland dysfunction, blood platelet aggregation, increase in estradiol

Steroid effects on females

Facial/body hair, bone growth impairments, altered menstrual function, decline in estrogen, LH, and FSH

Why do athletes use growth hormone?

To increase lean body mass and lower fat mass for improved muscle strength and anaerobic power

True or false: The effectiveness of growth hormone is clearly defined

False

Adverse effects to using growth hormone

Gigantism in adolescents, acromegaly in adults, and increased risk of hypertension and diabetes mellitus

Goal of amino acid supplementation

Increase muscle strength and hypertrophy

Effects of amino acid supplementation on aerobic performance

No difference in VO2 max but time to exhaustion improved

If you want to increase protein synthesis and resist protein degradation, when should you take amino acid supplement?

Anabolic phase; about 45 mins after a workout

When should you take AA supplement if you want to maintain muscle tissue synthesis?

Growth phase; from the end of anabolic phase to the next workout

True or false: AA or soy supplementation does not alter hormone production

True

Goal for caffeine intake

To improve aerobic and anabolic performance

How does caffeine work?

It inhibits the adenosine receptors in the brain, heart, muscles, etc by blocking adenosine from binding to the receptors

What does caffeine bind to increase calcium release from sarcoplasmic reticulum in the muscles?

Ryanodine receptors

Effects of caffeine on aerobic endurance and sprinting

Improves endurance, time to exhaustion, fatigue resistance, and all-out sprint times

What affect does caffeine have on muscular endurance, strength, and power?

May delay muscular fatigue, small improvements in strength and power

Goal for ephedrine supplementation

Increase energy, improve reaction time, and delay fatigue

How does ephedrine work?

Binds to alpha and beta receptors and inhibits norepinephrine reuptake

Effects of ephedrine during exercise performance?

Improved time in 10k, increased muscle power and time in 1500m.

Pseudoephedrine

A CNS stimulant that can cause bronchodilation and skeletal muscle stimulation

Common use of pseudoephedrine

The common cold

True or False: There are no major ergogenic effects from using pseudoephedrine

True

Adverse risks to using ephedrine and pseudoephedrine

CV effects, seizures, and possible death

Blood Doping

A technique used to increase the number of red blood cells, enhancing oxygen delivery to muscles and improving athletic performance. Can increase RBC nd hemoglobin levels from 8-20%

Blood doping effects on exercise

Increased CO, VO2max, time to exhaustion, improve performance at high altitudes or in heat, and decrease blood lactate levels

Epoetin

A synthetic form of erythropoietin used to stimulate red blood cell production, often abused in sports for enhanced endurance and performance. Known to improve VO2 max.

Adverse risks of using epoetin

Dangerously high hematocrit levels, increase blood viscosity, resistance, risk of MI, CVA, and thrombosis

O2 Inhalation (Hyperoxia)

Inhaling air with PO2 greater than at sea level

O2 inhalation during exercise

Enhances endurance, increases VO2 max, reduces blood lactate, and HR

True or False: O2 inhalation has little to no effect on anything in between intermittent exercise and post exercise.

True

Antioxidants

Substances that prevent or reduce oxidative stress by neutralizing free radicals, potentially enhancing recovery and performance.

True or False: Antioxidants are an effective ergogenic aid

False

True or False: Creatine increases intra- and extra-cellular water retention

True

How long would you have to take Creatine to improve creatine stores?

For more than 4 weeks

Beetroot juice contains a high amount of _______

inorganic nitrate (NO3)

True or False: Beetroot juice directly acts on skeletal muscle

False

Beetroot juice benefits

Increases glucose uptake, O2 uptake, and mitochondria function

Acute effects of beetroot juice

Improves CV performance, cycling performance time, and time to exhaustion

Long term supplementation of beetroot juice for _____ days leads to peak power improvements

15 days