PED's

• Stimulants


  makes athlete more alert and masks the effects of fatigue
• Stimulants help reduce reaction time and tiredness so would be good for a sprinter or swimmers who need a fast reaction time
• Side effects of stimulants


  • high blood pressure
  • strokes
  • heart & liver problems
  • increased risk of injury as it deadens the pain
• Narcotic analgesics


  very strong painkillers that mask pain from injury or overtraining
• Narcotic analgesics would help an athlete who wants to train or compete when they are injured which could increase muscle development.
• Side effects of Narcotic analgesics


  • could lead to injury worsening due to overtraining
  • can be highly addictive and lead to withdrawal symptoms
  • constipation
  • low blood pressure
  • loss of concentration which could lead to a coma
• Peptide hormones (EPO)


  Naturally occurring substances that can improve muscle growth and increase red blood cell production
• Peptide hormones would help those who do aerobic sports as it increases the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood
• Side effects of EPO's


  • increased risk of stroke or heart attack due to high blood pressure
  • thicker blood
• Diuretics


  remove excess water from the body
• Diuretics would be good for those who need to lose weight rapidly in sports that have weight categories such as boxing and martial arts
• Diuretics can also be used to dilute the presence of illegal substances and aid their removal from the body via urine to hide PED use
• Side effects of diuretics


  • severe dehydration
  • low blood pressure
  • muscle cramps
  • kidney failure
  • dizziness
• Anabolic agents


  increase the rate and amount of muscle growth and speed up recovery. can also increase aggressiveness
• Anabolic agents are the most commonly used steroids and is used by those who need strength, muscular, endurance and power e.g. sprinting and weightlifting. The increase in aggressiveness and competitiveness would also aid those in explosive events like the 100m that need a high level of arousal
• Side effects of anabolic agents


  • Performance may decrease if the performer becomes over-aroused
  • shrinks testicles
  • increases blood pressure
  • increases body hair in women, smaller breasts and a deeper voice
  • liver kidney and heart damage
  • infertility
• Beta blockers


  Calm down the performer by reducing the effects of adrenaline by reducing heart rate, muscle tension and blood pressure.
• Beta blockers improve a performers fine motor skills & increase their precision which would be good for target sports
• Side effects of beta blockers

  • nausea
  • poor circulation which leads to heart problems
  • tiredness
  • weakness
• Blood doping


  artificially increasing the number of red blood cells in the blood
• Blood doping


  • removal of 2 pints of blood a few weeks before a competition, freezing it then waiting for the blood to replace the taken amount then putting the thawed blood back in
• Blood doping is good for aerobic sports
• Side effects of blood doping


  • increased blood thickness
  • potential heart attack
  • risk of blood borne disease e.g. HIV, hepatitis
  • embolism
• Medical issues could prevent competing and training