1. Performance Enhancing Drugs
DEFINTION: These are illegal substances that athletes sometimes take to make their performance in sport better.
Why do athletes take them:
To improve their performance
So they can keep playing whilst injured
Because of pressure from media/sponsorship/fans to win.
Taking these drugs is cheating because it gives the athlete an unfair advantage. If caught:
Athletes can be banned.
Sports can lose money from sponsors.
Poor publicity is created for the sport – making less people want to play and watch it.
There are 6 types of performance enhancing drug that we need to know. For each you need to know the effects (both positive and negative) and sporting examples of who might use them.
Drugs in Sport (GCSE PE: Unit 1.2.1)

2. 1.
Performance Enhancing Drugs
Anabolic Steroids
DEFINITION: these are drugs that copy the male hormone testosterone.
POSITIVE EFFECTS: they promote muscle and bone growth. Are used to increase muscle size quickly (increasing power and muscular strength) and also reduce the recovery time needed meaning you can train more often and for longer.
NEGATIVE EFFECTS: If women use them they can start to get male features (deeper voice, facial and body hair growth). In both men and women they can increase levels of aggression and they can make you infertile (unable to have children).
SPORTING EXAMPLES: Used in sports where muscular strength and power are important (such as shot-put, weightlifting, boxing) because athletes can recover quicker and train more often – increasing their muscle size quickly.
Drugs in Sport (GCSE PE: Unit 1.2.1)

3. 2.
Performance Enhancing Drugs
Beta Blockers
DEFINITION: these are drugs that are used to control heart rate.
POSITIVE EFFECTS: they have a calming effect as they reduce the heart rate. A slower heart rate makes you more relaxed and steady. They also reduce anxiety or nerves.
They also get absorbed into the blood quickly so are hard for drug testers to detect.
NEGATIVE EFFECTS: If the athletes heart rate gets too low they risk fainting or it could stop completely which would result in death.
SPORTING EXAMPLES: They are used mainly in sports where a steady aim, and precision are needed. For example in archery, they might be used to stop an archers hand wobbling from nerves when aiming at the target.
Drugs in Sport (GCSE PE: Unit 1.2.1)

4. 3.
Performance Enhancing Drugs
Diuretics
DEFINITION: these are drugs that increase the amount of urine and fluid expelled from the body.
POSITIVE EFFECTS: They make the body lose fluid which can result in quick (but temporary) weight loss. The can also be used to flush out/mask other performance enhancing drugs.
NEGATIVE EFFECTS: Since they affect fluid levels they can cause rapid dehydration, sickness, headaches and even heart/kidney failure.
SPORTING EXAMPLES: They are used mainly in sports with weight categories (horse riding, boxing) because the athlete can lose weight quickly.
Drugs in Sport (GCSE PE: Unit 1.2.1)

5. 4.
Performance Enhancing Drugs
Narcotic Analgesics
DEFINITION: these are drugs that can be used to reduce the feeling of pain.
POSITIVE EFFECTS: They act as a painkiller. It helps athletes to hide injuries or to continue playing their sport even when injured.
NEGATIVE EFFECTS: They are very addictive. They cause the user to lose concentration and affects co-ordination (making exercise dangerous). Since the user does not feel the pain of their injury it is likely to make current injuries worse or create long-term problems.
SPORTING EXAMPLES: Any performer with an injury who wishes to carry on training and playing.
Drugs in Sport (GCSE PE: Unit 1.2.1)

6. 5.
Performance Enhancing Drugs
Stimulants
DEFINITION: these are drugs that increase mental and physical alertness.
POSITIVE EFFECTS: They help to improve a persons mood and increase brain activity. They make the person more awake and alert. They increase levels of competiveness and increase heart rate (and therefore oxygen delivery).
NEGATIVE EFFECTS: They can lead to high levels of aggression and can cause anxiety problems. They also make it difficult to sleep (insomnia). Continued use can lead to heart problems.
SPORTING EXAMPLES: They are sometimes used to increase aggression (boxers) but also can be used by people to stay more alert for a long period of time (long distance cyclists or runners).
Drugs in Sport (GCSE PE: Unit 1.2.1)

7. 6.
Performance Enhancing Drugs
Peptide Hormones
DEFINITION: these are artificial substances that replicate the role of real body hormones. There are two main ones: human growth hormone (HGH) and erythropoietin (EPO).
POSITIVE EFFECTS: HGH can help to build muscle size. EPO helps to increase the number of red blood cells in the body.
NEGATIVE EFFECTS: HGH has similar side-effects to anabolic steroids. EPO can cause blood to thicken which can lead to blood clots, strokes and heart attacks.
SPORTING EXAMPLES: HGH is used in similar sports to anabolic steroids. EPO is used in sports where getting more oxygen to the muscles (high cardiovascular fitness) is important, such as marathon running and cycling.
Drugs in Sport (GCSE PE: Unit 1.2.1)