This document discusses various types of performance enhancing drugs used in sports, including their purposes, effects, and side effects. It describes how anabolic steroids help build muscle faster, peptides like HGH and EPO increase oxygen in the blood, painkillers mask pain and allow quicker returns from injury, stimulants reduce fatigue and increase alertness, diuretics cause rapid weight loss, and beta-blockers maintain a slow heart rate and low blood pressure in tense situations. However, all such drugs carry potential health risks like organ damage, mood issues, and infertility.

1. DRUGS IN SPORT

2. Why people take
performance enhancing
drugs…
To recover from
injury more quickly
or to mask pain
Desire to be the
best at all costs;
winning brings
financial rewards
Making the most of
a short sporting life
Influenced by others
The will to win
overrides moral
conscience
Desire to meet
expectations of
others
Willing to risk
cheating for public
acclaim
Natural ability isn’t
good enough
Better results lead
to better sponsors
and endorsement
contracts

3. Drugs
A drug is any chemical substance you take that
affects the way your body works.
Most drugs are developed for medical purposes,
but…doping means taking drugs to improve
sporting performance.

4. Drugs in Sport

5. Anabolic Steroids
Anabolic steroids are the most commonly
used drugs in sport. They mimic
testosterone, a male hormone.
They help to repair and build muscle faster,
meaning an athlete can train harder and
more often to increase results at a much
faster rate.
Side effects kidney problems, mood swings,
anxiety, aggression, high blood pressure,
heart attacks, strokes, impotence in men
and infertility, deepened voice, increased
facial hair and irregular periods in women.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCSfCINnszE

6. Peptides
Peptide hormones and analogues are synthetic
substances that copy natural hormones in the
body.
Examples of these drugs include: Human Growth
Hormone (HGH) and erythropoietin (EPO).
HGH acts like an anabolic steroid. It develops
muscle, makes the body use fat and helps reduce
tiredness.
EPO promotes the production of red blood cells
and therefore increases the amount of oxygen the
blood can transport at any one time. More oxygen
is provided to the muscles which allows the athlete
to work longer and harder.

7. Painkillers
Analgesics are addictive drugs and are usually injected into
the blood stream.
Examples of these drugs include: heroin, methadone,
pethidine, morphine and codeine.
Effects can include:
• Reduces the sensation of the central nervous system (CNS)
so helps pain relief.
• Masks pain so athlete is back from injury sooner.
Side-effects can include:
• Loss of concentration.
• Loss of balance.

8. Stimulants
Stimulants are used to reduces feelings of tiredness so a
person can train for longer.
Stimulates the central nervous system (CNS) making people
more alert.
Examples of these drugs include: amphetamines, ephedrine,
cocaine and caffeine.
Side-effects can include:
User becomes irritable and is unable to sleep.
High blood pressure
Irregular and faster heartbeat.

9. Diretics
Diuretics are drugs which increase the rate of water loss from the body.
Why people use them?
Speeds up work of kidneys by producing more urine. This reduces fluid
retention, which causes rapid weight loss.
Diuretics are used in sports where there are weight categories.
Sportspeople use diuretics to ‘make the weight’.
Often used as “masking agents” to hide the effect of other performance
enhancing drugs.
Side-effects can include:
Dehydration and possibly dizziness.
Muscle cramps.
Headaches, nausea and fatigue.
Kidney illness can develop.

10. Beta-Blockers
Beta-blockers are used as a relaxant.
Effects can include:
Users maintain a slow heart rate and low blood
pressure which is useful in tense situations.
Their calming effect also helps in high-risk sports
where speed is involved.