Lecture 6: Ergogenic Aids

Lecture 6: Ergogenic Aids

• Ergogenic aids are substances that enhance physical work capacity or athletic performance.
• Types of ergogenic aids include: pharmacologic, physiological, nutritional, psychological, and mechanical.
• Lecture objectives include: developing awareness of ergogenic aids; learning about different types and their mechanisms; and identifying banned substances.
• Ergogenic aids are substances that enhance performance and include: hormones, neurotransmitters, supplements, equipment, and techniques.
• Examples of pharmacologic ergogenic aids include anabolic androgenic steroids, hormones and related substances, EPO, HGH, Beta-2 agonists, hormone antagonists, diuretics, and stimulants.
• An example of a banned ergogenic aid is the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list.

What is an Ergogenic Aid?

• An ergogenic aid is a substance or technique that enhances physical work capacity or athletic performance.
• Ergogenic aids can be pharmacologic, physiological, nutritional, psychological, or mechanical.
• These substances or techniques can boost an athlete's performance via different pathways.

What Areas of Fitness to Improve?

• Areas to improve fitness consist of oxygen delivery and endurance; delay fatigue; strength and power; and body composition.

Ergogenic Research

• Factors to consider in ergogenic aid research include participant characteristics; dosage; acute versus chronic use; statistical significance; testing/task specificity; and the placebo effect.

Pharmacological Ergogenic Aids

• These aids increase hormone or neurotransmitter levels in the body.
• They boost substrate storage, act as a supplemental fuel, or serve as nervous system stimulants.
• These ergogenic aids reduce/neutralize performance inhibitors, facilitating recovery, and enhance resistance training responsiveness.

Anabolic Steroids

• Anabolic steroids are similar to testosterone.
• They bind to muscle receptor sites, promoting male secondary sex characteristics and increasing muscle mass and strength.
• Steroids can be oral or injectable and are taken in cycles.

Effects of Anabolic Steroids

• Anabolic steroids can increase testosterone production, protein synthesis, muscle mass, and strength/power.
• Recovery is sped up and exercise intensity/duration is enhanced.
• These also have diverse applications for power and strength athletes.

Side Effects/Medical Risks of Steroid Use

• Steroid use can cause testicular atrophy, gynecomastia, lower sperm count, and reduced testosterone levels in men.
• In women, steroid use can lead to voice changes, facial hair growth, menstrual irregularities, and clitoral enlargement.
• Possible side effects in both sexes include hypertension, myocardial damage, infarction, and more

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)

• A weak steroid, synthesized from cholesterol by the adrenal cortex.
• It is considered the most produced steroid in the body.

Metabolic Pathways for Testosterone

• This includes metabolic pathways, production, and effects.

Androstenedione

• Related to testosterone production.
• It may stimulate testosterone production, enabling more intense training, building muscle mass, and repairing tissue injuries.

Growth Hormone (GH or HGH)

• GH stimulates bone and cartilage growth, leading to increased muscle mass and strength.
• It also increases blood glucose levels, improving recovery and energy.

Acromegaly

• Excessive growth after closure of the growth plates, characterized by excessive growth..

Erythropoietin (EPO)

• A synthetic form of erythropoietin that promotes red blood cell production

Benefits and Adverse Effects of EPO Use

• The increase in red blood cell count boosts oxygen-carrying capacity, enhancing exercise intensity and duration.
• This can, however, increase blood viscosity and risk of clots, heart failure, and impaired cardiac output.

Beta-2 Adrenergic Agonists

• These chemical compounds increase responsiveness to epinephrine, norepinephrine, and other amines.

Amphetamines

• Amphetamines inhibit pain perception and fatigue, but can cause dependency, impacting mental and physiological performance.

Physiological Ergogenic Aids: Blood Doping

• Blood doping involves withdrawing blood, storing the red blood cells, and reinjecting the blood to increase red blood cell and hemoglobin levels to enable better oxygen transport and increase endurance.

Oxygen Inhalation (Hyperoxia)

• O2 inhalation can increase oxygen transport to increase exercise performance.

Warm-Up

• General warm-up involves preparing for exercise through general movements.
• Specific warm-up uses specific movements relating to the exercise action.

Nutritional Ergogenic Aids

• These focus on dietary changes and supplements, including changing food amount, composition, timing; hydration; and glycogen loading.

Nitrates

• Consuming root vegetables (beetroot) provides nitrates to improve performance.

Caffeine

• A lipid-soluble purine derived from coffee beans, tea, and other sources.
• Caffeine may improve performance aspects, such as endurance, intensity levels, muscular strength.

CHO Loading

• This involves increasing carbohydrate intake to maximize muscle glycogen stores which helps body endure intense activities and improves performance.

Psychological Ergogenic Aids

• These include skills like positive self-talk, mental imagery, visualization, and hypnosis to improve psychological factors during athletic performance

Mechanical Ergogenic Aids

• These relate to specialized equipment, sports clothing, footwear, heart rate monitors, timing equipment, altitude training, and video analysis tools.