Ergogenic aids Flashcards
(22 cards)
What is an ergogenic aid?
Substance, method or object used to enhance performance
What is a pharmacological aid?
Group of ergogenic aids taken to increase levels of hormones or neural transmitters
What are anabolic steroids and what type of performer may use them?
Illegal synthetic derivative of testosterone
weightlifters, body builders, power athletes or used during rehabilitation
What are the benefits of anabolic steroids?
- increased muscle mass and strength
- increased recovery
- increased intensity + duration of training
What are the drawbacks of anabolic steroids?
- irritability
- mood swings
- liver damage
- heart failure
- acne
- hormonal disturbance
What is EPO and what type of performer may use them?
A hormone naturally made in the body secreted by the kidneys (RhEPO is the illegal synthetic version)
endurance athletes e.g tour de france
What are the benefits of EPO?
- increased RBC + haemoglobin count
- increased O2 transport
- increased aerobic capacity
- increased intensity + duration of performance
What are the drawbacks of EPO?
- increased blood viscosity
- decreased cardiac output
- increased risk of blood clots and heart disease
- decreased natural EPO production
What is HGH and what type of performer may use them?
Illegal synthetically produced HGH used by some athletes in place of anabolic steroids
any type of athlete
What are the benefits of HGH?
- increased muscle mass + strength
- increased fat metabolism and decreased fat mass
- increased blood glucose
- increased recovery
- increased intensity and duration of training
What are the drawbacks of HGH?
- abnormal bone + muscle development
- enlargement of vital organs
- increased risk of cancer and diabetes
What are physiological aids?
Group of ergogenic aids used to increase the rate of adaption by the body to increase performance
What is blood doping and what type of performer may use this?
Illegal increased red blood cell volume due to blood being removed 4-6 weeks pre performance so the body recompensates lost RBC
endurance athletes
What are the benefits of blood doping?
- increased RBC and haemoglobin
- increased O2 transportation
- increased aerobic capacity
- increased duration and intensity of performance
What are the drawbacks of blood doping?
- increased blood viscosity
- decreased cardiac output
- increased risk of blood clots and heart disease
- risk of transfusion infection e.g HIV
What is intermittent hypoxic training and what type of performer may use this?
Athletes living at sea level but training under hypoxic conditions (low PO2) legally
endurance athletes
What are the benefits of intermittent hypoxic training?
- allows acclimatisation for events at altitude
- increased RBC and haemoglobin
- increased intensity and duration before fatigue
- increased mitochondria and buffering capacity
- delayed OBLA
What are the drawbacks of intermittent hypoxic training?
- benefits lost when IHT stopped
- may disrupt training patterns
- loss of motivation
- hard to reach normal work rates
- decreased immune function increasing infection risk
- dehydration
What are cooling aids and what type of performer might use them?
Legal use of ice vests, cold towel wraps etc to reduce core body temp and reduce injury swelling
all athlet3es pre or post event
What are the benefits of cooling aids?
- reduce core body temp
- decreased sweating, dehydration and fatigue
- decreased injury, pain and swelling
- increased speed of recovery
- decreased DOM’S
What are the drawbacks of cooling aids?
- difficulty to perceive exercise intensity
- ice burns and pain
- may mask or worsen injury
- chest pain
- dangerous for those with heart and BP struggles
