Drugs come in a number of forms. They can be medical, recreational or performance enhancing. Many of these are prohibited in sporting competitions, if they are though to have a positive effect on performance.
Performance Enhancing Drugs
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) have a list of banned substances, as do most other governing bodies of all different sports. The following drugs are on the IOC's list:
Anabolic agents (steroids)
- These are used by athletes who want to bulk up and increase their muscle mass. They also allow the athlete to train harder
- They have many side-effects, including high blood pressure; heart disease; infertility and cancer. They can also cause women to take on male characteristics such as facial hair!
Stimulants
- Stimulants reduce pain, increase reaction speed and raise aggression
- They are highly addictive and have side effects including high blood pressure, strokes, heart and liver problems. They can also increase the risk of injury as pain is suppressed, causing the athlete to continue to train or compete
Diuretics
- Athletes use diuretics for one of two reasons. Either to loose weight quickly (such as a boxer or jockey needing to meet weight) through the effect of increased urination, or to clear traces of other substances from their urine
- They cause dehydration which can seriously affect your performance in a negative way!
Narcotic analgesics
- These are pain killers which athletes use to mask pain from an injury or overtraining
- These are highly addictive and cause withdrawal symptoms when you stop using them. Constipation and low blood pressure are other side effects
Peptide hormones
- These include EPO (Erythropoetin) which works a bit like blood doping. Most other peptide hormones have similar effects to anabolic steroids
- They can cause strokes and abnormal growth patterns
The above drugs are completely banned from use under the IOC. However, other substances are restricted, usually meaning they have a genuine medical use in some cases. In order to use one of the following drugs in competition (with the exception of alcohol) you must have a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) certificate.
Beta blockers
- These are used to lower the heart rate, but also have the effect of reducing anxiety and steadying shaking hands
- They're banned in some sports where they may cause an advantage, such as shooting
Corticosteroids
- These are used to reduce pain and inflammation from injuries and also in inflammatory conditions like asthma
- They can side-effects including diabetes and brittle bones
Alcohol
- Alcohol is sometimes used by athletes to calm nerves.
- It can however reduce coordination, judgment and reactions. Long term use has more serious side-effects such as liver, kidney and heart failure
Local anaesthetics
- These are usually in the form of an injection to an injured area to reduce pain
- They may be allowed in some sports for medical purposes
Drug Testing
Drug testing is monitored closely to make sure results are accurate and athletes are protected. Tests can be performed at any time, in or out of competition.
- Urine samples are taken and divided into two samples - A and B
- The A sample is then tested
- If a positive result is found, sample B is then tested
- If this is also positive the athlete faces as much as a lifetime ban
- Refusing to take a drugs test is taken as failing a drugs test
Blood Doping
Blood doping involves:
- Removing red blood cells from the athlete and freezing them
- Over the next few weeks the athletes body makes more red blood cells to replace those removed
- A few days before a competition the athlete injects the stored red blood cells back into their body
- This means they now have the capacity to carry more Oxygen which improves cardiovascular performance
- This has possibly dangerous side effects such as allergic reactions, kidney damage, stroke and transfer of viruses and infections
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