Categories of Prohibited Substances (AQA GCSE Physical Education (PE))

Prohibited Substances in Sport

• A prohibited substance in sport is a product that is banned by the national governing body of a sport and/or the International Olympic Committee

• These may be known as performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) or ergogenic aids

• Categories of drugs that can be used in sports include:

Stimulants

• These are substances that increase activity in parts of the brain; effects include:

  • Increased alertness

  • Decreased reaction times

  • Reduced tiredness

  • Increased aggression

• Some stimulants are legal substances such as caffeine, or chemicals produced in the body, such as adrenaline

• Illegal stimulants, such as amphetamines, are prohibited in sports

• They can have negative side effects:

  • Highly addictive

  • Raised blood pressure

  • Reduced sleep quality

  • Increased risk of heart attacks and strokes

  • Increased risk of injury due to being more tolerant to pain

Narcotic analgesics

• Very strong painkillers are known as narcotic analgesics

• They can be used to numb the pain that might result from overtraining and injury

• These are highly addictive and have strong withdrawal symptoms

• E.g. the legal painkiller morphine (this may be prescribed by a doctor to relieve pain from an injury), illegal heroin

Anabolic agents

• Anabolic agents are used to increase muscle mass and growth

• This can help improve:

  • Strength

  • Stamina

  • Speed

  • Competitiveness (through increased aggression)

  • Recovery from injury

• E.g. illegal anabolic steroids

• Side effects include:

  • Addiction to the substance

  • High blood pressure

  • Liver, kidney and heart damage

  • Shrinking of testicles

  • Biologically female athletes may develop a deeper voice, body hair and smaller breasts

Peptide hormones (e.g. EPO)

• Peptide hormones are naturally occurring hormones within the body

• They can help improve muscle growth, thereby improving:

  • Strength

  • Stamina

  • Recovery from injury

  • Energy levels

• EPO is a peptide hormone secreted by the kidneys which regulates red blood cell production

  • Synthetic EPO can be taken by athletes to increase red blood cell count

    • More red blood cells mean more efficient transport of oxygen and glucose to muscles for respiration

  • Historically EPO has been difficult to test for, but new drug testing technology means that this drug is now detectable

  • Side effects include:

    • Headaches

    • Nausea

    • Increased viscosity (thickness) of the blood

    • Increased blood pressure

Diuretics

• These drugs remove excess water from the body by causing more frequent urination

• They can cause rapid weight loss so may be used where weight categories are in place, such as in boxing

• Diuretics can mask the presence of other performance-enhancing drugs within the body and help with their removal from the body through urination

• Side effects include severe dehydration