Performance-Enhancing Substances

Author(s):  
Mark Stephens
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 154
Author(s):  
Thanujj Kisten ◽  
Rowena Naidoo

Adolescent and youth sports seem to have progressively developed in South Africa to the point where young athletes are considering doping and the use of performance-enhancing substances (PES). This study determined the perspectives of U-19 soccer players and their coaches in the eThekwini region, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, on the use of supplements and drugs. Male participants (n = 449) playing first team soccer from development clubs in the eThekwini region, and their respective coaches (n = 30), volunteered to participate in this study. A questionnaire was administered to players and coaches were interviewed. Soccer players and their coaches believed that consuming prohibited substances in sport was unethical. The majority of the players (73.9% either agreed or strongly agreed) and coaches believed that doping in soccer is on the increase. About a quarter of the players consumed nutritional supplements and smoked cannabis. Anti-doping educational programmes and behaviour change interventions are vital in order to educate and transform athletes’ and coaches’ perspectives on doping and PES, and their resultant behaviour.


INDIAN DRUGS ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 57 (12) ◽  
pp. 7-25
Author(s):  
Gaurav Mehta ◽  
Maithili Joshi ◽  
Shreerang Joshi ◽  

Multiple studies have been conducted, many within the last 3-5 years, to develop a deeper understanding into how certain chemical substances enhance and improve certain aspects of our performance, both mental and physical. The successful synthesis, isolation and purification of such human performance enhancing substances have led to breakthroughs not only in the treatment of debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, but also have a significant impact on endurance training. While the chief use of such performance enhancing agents is in the treatment of diseases like anaemia, depression, attention deficit and neurodegenerative disorders, such substances are also misused and sometimes abused in sport. This review highlights 6 major substances used as performance enhancers, namely, creatine, racetams, melatonin, caffeine, cholinergics and EPO. The six substances enhance different features of human performance. The chemistry of these substances, their chemical biology, methods of synthesis and latest data obtained from various clinical trials are discussed.


2021 ◽  
pp. 266-275
Author(s):  
Kaveri Prakash

Given that the current strategies focusing on deterrence and punishment are increasingly ineffective worldwide, is there a radically different approach to ensuring a level playing field? This essay explores the growing discourse on alternate approaches to controlling the use of performance enhancing substances (PES) in sports and reflects on the fact that social and cultural behaviour patterns, plus a lack of ethics in the practice of medicine are the issues that need to be tackled urgently in this eagerness to ensure a level playing field in sports. Kaveri Prakash cautiously argues for adopting a relatively new approach, under wide discussion, centring on a harm reduction strategy, that would allow performance enhancing substances to be administered under supervision. However, this will only be successful if regulatory and ethical frameworks in related areas are strengthened and current practices are systematically reviewed and either discarded or reformed. Moreover, India needs to pay serious attention to its sporting population, on and off the field, in order to gauge its response to regulation.


2020 ◽  
pp. 407-418
Author(s):  
Michele LaBotz ◽  
Bernard A. Griesemer ◽  

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