A3

Question 1

What does ergogenic aid mean?

Answer 1

It is any substance or phenomenon that improves an athlete’s performance

Question 2

What is the positive effect of placebo?

Answer 2

• Belief that a beneficial treatment or intervention has been received (physiological, behavioural, emotional or cognitive)
• Often used as a control during experiments investigating treatments, used to control validity

Question 3

What are the negative effects of placebo?

Answer 3

• Athlete may think they are experiencing negative effects (physiological, behavioral, emotional or cognitive)
• A endurance performer may ingest a sports drink containing carbohydrates or artificial sweetener

Question 4

What are five classes of non-nutritional ergogenic aids that are currently banned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and World Anti-Doping Agency?

Answer 4

• anabolic steroids
• hormones and related substances
• diuretics and masking agents
• beta blockers
• stimulants

Question 5

What do anabolic steroids do?

Answer 5

Give unfair advantage or added strength to the performer, can be dangerous with elevated aggression)

Question 6

What do hormones and related substances do?

Answer 6

Stimulate growth quicker than others, unfair advantage

Question 7

What do diuretics and masking agents do?

Answer 7

Masks other illegal ergogenic aids that may have been taken

Question 8

What do beta blockers do?

Answer 8

Decreases heart rate so performer can be more steady, commonly desired in shooting or precision sports

Question 9

What do stimulants do?

Answer 9

Elevates heart rate, to get performer going, desired in fighting type sports

Question 10

What are the benefits of anabolic steroids?

Answer 10

Artificially produced hormones –> promote muscle growth, produces lean body weight

Question 11

What are the side effects oof anabolic steroids?

Answer 11

Liver damage, acne, excessive aggression

Question 12

What are the benefits of erythropoietin (EPO)?

Answer 12

A natural hormone produced by the kidney that promotes the formation of red blood cells in the bone marrow, which increases haemoglobin levels –> increases oxygen-carrying capacity, increase amount of work able to be done (muscular endurance)

Question 13

What are the side effects of EPO?

Answer 13

• Dehydration
• Viscosity of the blood
• Blood clotting
• Risk of heart attacks, strokes causing death

Question 14

What are the benefits of beta blockers?

Answer 14

Help to calm an individual down (lowers the heart rate)
–> steadies the nerves, can improve accuracy

Question 15

What are the side effects of beta blockers?

Answer 15

• tiredness
• low blood pressure
• slower heart rate

Question 16

What are the benefits of caffeine (stimulants)?

Answer 16

Increase alertness and physical processes in the body –> improve the mobilisation of fatty acids, decreased tiredness, increases metabolism, increased alertness

Question 17

What are the side effects of caffeine (stimulants)?

Answer 17

• Dehydration
• Insomnia
• Weight loss
• Cardiovascular problems causing death

Question 18

What are the benefits of diuretics?

Answer 18

Drug can conceal the presence of a prohibited substance in urine or other samples –> mask other performance enhancing drugs

Question 19

What are the side effects of diuretics?

Answer 19

• dehydration
• upset stomach
• feeling faint
• dizziness and low blood pressure
• affects thermoregulation
• loss of electrolytes and mineral salts –> fatigue and muscle cramping
• exhaustion and cardiac arrest
• kidney failure