Drugs In Sport

Drugs and Doping “A drug is any chemical substance you take that affects the way your body works”. Most drugs were developed for medicinal purposes and can be dangerous if misused. “Doping means taking drugs to improve sporting performance”.

Why do athletes take drugs? Benefits; They improve performance. They kill pain so that athletes can push themselves further. They build muscles faster than they can do just by training. Athletes use them to calm themselves before important events.

Rules and Punishment Using drugs is cheating. The IOC have drawn up a list of banned substances. If an athlete is caught they can face a ban of up to a year or even more. Dwain Chambers

What different types of drug are there?

Anabolic Steroids They are hormones which help build and repair muscle and bone. Body builders take artificial steroids to increase the size And strength of their muscles and help them recover from training. Examples are Solpadeine and Day Nurse The International Olympics Committee to date has placed 17 anabolic steroids and related compounds on its banned list.

What are the dangers?! To men; To women; Shrinking of the testicles Growth of facial hair Reduced sperm count Deepened voice Impotence Breast reduction Baldness Difficulty or pain in urinating Development of breasts To both sexes; Acne Trembling High blood pressure  Liver damage and cancers Aching joints Weaker tendons, ligaments, and muscles

Stimulants These stimulate the circulatory and nervous systems. They make the person alert and confident and be able to work for long periods of time. Used in medicine to help patients with heart and lung problems. Two types – Caffeine and amphetamines like ‘speed’.

What are the dangers? Pain and fatigue are the body’s warning systems. If they are stopped the athlete will carry on and cause injury. When it wears off you will feel really ‘down’. They can cause violent and aggressive behaviour. Heavy use can cause high blood pressure and liver/brain damage.

Narcotic Analgesics Pain killers. Narcotic means causing drowsiness. Analgesic means killing pain. They give a feeling of wellbeing and relaxation. Morphine and heroin help to relieve severe pain. Codeine is used in diarrhoea treatments.

What are the dangers? Can cause constipation and low BP. Cause extreme apathy (worry). Can be addictive and withdrawal symptoms can be severe. Carrying on with an injury can make it worse. Morphine and heroin are illegal in most countries except for medical use.

Beta Blockers It makes your heart beat slower and slows down your breathing. Used by athletes to calm their nerves before big events. They are also banned in archery and shooting. WHY?

What are the dangers? They can reduce blood pressure so much that you faint. They lower performance during lengthy endurance events. Can cause sleeplessness, nightmares and depression.

Tranquilisers These also reduce anxiety and calm you down. Examples are Librium and Valium. They make the person tired and are very addictive.

Blood Doping Oxygen is carried in your body by red blood cells, the more you have the more oxygen reaches your muscles. An athlete will withdraw blood a few weeks before an event. The red cells are separated and frozen. The body then replenishes the red blood cells deficit. Just before the event they are thawed and injected back into the athlete. This gives the body more transportation of oxygen to muscles and so better cardio and muscular endurance.

What are the dangers? All blood transfusions and injections carry the risk of infection. Top athletes already have a high concentration of red cells. Adding more may block their capillaries.

Socially acceptable drugs “Nicotine and alcohol are socially accepted drugs, but that does not mean they are good for you. Both of them lower your health and fitness considerably”.

Smoking Nicotine- is an addictive poison that makes your heart rate and BP rise and can cause heart disease. Tar- collects in your lungs and respiratory system. It clogs your lungs and stops you from breathing properly. It causes lung cancer. Carbon Monoxide -is a poisonous gas. Red blood cells pick this up instead of oxygen and pump it around the body to your muscles.

Alcohol It affects your whole body. Can make you aggressive. Reduces your levels of endurance. Lose the will to train. Long term use can damage your kidney and liver damage.

Summary