Performance Enhancing Methods and Drugs

Past and present illicit abuse, Current research and Justified Use

PRESENTED BY: Rance Terry

Purpose of this presentation:

To inform the audience of…The methods in which athletes use

performance enhancing drugs to gain an edge

The original use of the drugs and how they also increase performance

Whether or not these methods work and if the positive’s outweigh the negative’s sufficiently enough to justify use

What are the current enhancement methods?

Exogenous Human Growth HormoneTestosterone SupplementationErythropoietin InjectionStem Cell Therapy

Hua. (2008)

Human Growth HormoneA hormone that stimulates growth,

regeneration of cells and is secreted by somatotropic cells of the anterior pituitary.

Used in competition since the 1970’s Most widespread use of sports dopingExercise and sleep are the two biggest

natural stimuli

Healy, Gibney, Russell-Jones, Pentecost (2003)

According to Studies… hGH can mediate muscle hypertrophy in response

to an exercise Load and frequency of exercise can determine the

secretion regulation Main contributor to protein synthesis is insulin-

like growth factor-1 or IGF-1 Most of the protein synthesis stimulus comes

from IGF-1 with GH receptors having little effect

Solberg & Ringer (2011)

Double Blind ResultshGH did not improve bicep strength Produced significant gains in lean body mass

with decrease in overall fat massHigher basal metabolism rateLowered respiratory exchange ratioRaised lactate, free fatty acid and glycerol levelsVO2 max, speed expenditure, power output, and

cycling speed remained unchanged

Denham (2000)

Evidence Based ConclusionshGH has a significant effect on protein anabolic ratio’s on

resting metabolism and during exerciseA net reduction in absolute leucine production loss, showing

signs of the anabolic effect. Short term hGH administration shows an anabolic effect

during exercise and at restThis supports the idea that a short-term exogenous dosage

of hGH may be beneficial to physical performance Positive results can not lend to recommendation of use with

the legal consequences that can come as a result of useSolberg & Ringer (2011)

Hoffman (2010)

Testosterone SupplementationTestosterone is an

androgenic hormone produced in the testes and ovaries of humans and is the main sex hormone

Classified as a natural anabolic steroid

Effects are growth of muscle mass and strength, bone maturation and increases in bone

density and strength Usually very prevalent in

puberty and then gradually taper off to low levels but can be revitalized

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Hoffman (2010)

Original UseTestosterone became an alternate and somewhat

better option to muscle stamina and growth as early as the 1980’s

Recognized in 1990 as a controlled substance by Congress

Four exogenous forms of the hormone including intramuscular injection, implantable pellet, and patches or gels

Continued use of the hormone results in what is know as the Farquharson phenomenon

Crewther, Cook, Cardinale, Weatherby & Lowe (2011)

According to StudiesTestosterone dosed non-exercise groups had greater

increases in muscle size in their arms and legs, with as much as a 3 inch mean change

Also had significant increases in full body squat and bench press

Group dosed and prescribed exercise routine had greater increases in fat free mass and muscle size

The increases in fat free mass were as much as 6 pounds and the increase in muscle size was as great as 104 millimeters Hoffman (2010)

)

Dosed group increased bench press at one repetition max by as much as 22 pounds

Increased one repetition full body squat by as much as 38 pounds

Neither mood nor behavior was changed in any group, the only difference being a slight excess of acne and breast tenderness by a small number of subjects

Bhasin, Storer, Berman, Callegari, Clevenger Et. Al (1996)

ConclusionsSupraphysiologic doses of testosterone, combined

with strength training can increase muscle size and fat-free mass in normal men

Acute changes in physiological hormones can offer long-term adaptations and short-term benefits for training performance

Evidence also shows that higher concentration levels of these hormones can support the performance of the neuromuscular system as well as motor function and energy metabolism

Emmons & Brown (2012)

Exogenous delivery alone can increase back squat, power clean, vertical jump, split jerk and standing press maximum repetition

Exogenous administration along with resistance training can increase these as well as a reduction in plasma volume, lactate stimulated secretion and adrenergic stimulation

Is not as easy to discern between exogenous and natural testosterone as hGH is

Continued use results in higher levels in tests and also results in suspension and can not be recommended in Organized sports

Emmons & Brown (2012)

ErythropoetinEPO is glycoprotein hormone that controls red

blood cell production, also medically known in it’s natural form as erythropoiesis

Produced in the kidneys and helps with the healing of the body’s wounds

In very heavy physical exercise, the kidney secretes EPO to increase red blood cell production

Juhn (2003)

According to StudiesThe major factor that limits muscles in their ability

to endure for long periods of time depends on blood-oxygen levels, lung function, heart stroke volume and vascularization

EPO improves the body’s oxygen delivery to muscles, which greatly improves endurance capacity

Sefiha (2012)

Sixteen athletically fit cyclists were split into two groups, eight being injected with EPO and the other eight in the control group being injected with placebo

13-week period of testing resulted in a 54% increase in performance for the EPO injected group

The peak power output after 13 weeks increased by 13% and the time to exhaustion increased to a point where riders could continue 12 more minutes than before the study began

Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry was conducted to back up these results and measure them accurately

Sefiha (2012)

ConclusionsIt is impossible to recognize the possibility of EPO to

increase performance outputs If an athlete only gains a 25% increase in power and

endurance instead of a 54% increase like the riders in the study, that is still a huge difference

Heart attack and other medical problems can arise from elevating levels in the blood, and can be very dangerous and can not be recommended

Callaway (2011)

Juhn (2003)

Stem Cell TherapyDefined by the World-Anti Doping Agency as “the non

therapeutic use of genes, genetic elements and or cells that have the capacity to increase athletic performance

Began in the 1970’s when modern medicine found a way to treat human disease by attacking the underlying genetic defects causing the disease

Produced effective treatments for neurodegeneration, genetic forms of blindness, pediatric immune deficiency and a number of other diseases

Tynes (2006)

Romani, et al (2003)

According to StudiesThe committed precursor cells taken from the host

muscle had the potential to proliferate, self renew and repair damaged muscle before being introduced into the new muscle

Cells also had the ability to differentiate into both myogenic and non-myogenic lineages

The integration of the viral vectors into the host genome carries the risk of insertional mutagenesis

Can cause abnormal regulation of the cell’s growth and toxicity from the chronic over expression of the growth factor and cytokines, as well as malignancy of cells

Mcgrath & Cowan, 2008

ConclusionsAccording to the US Anti-Doping Agency, there is

currently no way to test for gene doping because it is the athlete’s copies of genes that are naturally present in the body and cannot be distinguished

Can have a great potential to revolutionize medicine and the way it cures disease and how it improves quality of life

Main cause for concern in gene doping is the unknown risks associated with it, it is very likely that introducing new genes can bring many health problems, but it is not certain

Artificially increasing levels of anything in the body can result in heart attack or even paralysis

Being able to increase production of genes does not mean they will stop once a person wants them to either, muscles can become disproportionate and can pull on tendons and ligaments causing tears that would not otherwise happen

RecommendationsOnly exogenous Testosterone supplementation

can be recommended to noncompetitive athletes because of the gains that can come from it without significant negative effects

hGH and EPO have positive effects on the body but are not sufficient enough to outweigh the negative possibilities

Stem cell therapy can never be recommended because of the unknown danger associated with it

Bibliography