Permitted non-hormonal performance-enhancing substances

What? Performance enhancers?

For decades athletes and non-athletes have been using performance-enhancing drugs/supplements> However most of the time the news  flash comes when a competitive athlete is caught using banned hormonal & non-hormonal substances.

They can be broadly classified as:

1. Stimulants
2. Prescription medications
3. Blood buffers
4. Nutritional supplements
5. Energy beverages

STIMULANTS

They are both physical and cognitive performance enhancers. 

Beneficial effects include increase in:

• Energy level, 
• Endurance, 
• Anaerobic performance, r
• Reaction time, 
• Concentration, and alertness. 

Adverse effects include

• Headache, 
• Nausea, 
• Insomnia, 
• Anxiety, 
• Tremor, 
• Agitation, 
• Panic attacks, 
• Hypertension, and tachycardia. 

Rarely, stimulants may cause myocardial ischemia, stroke, psychosis, heatstroke, or rhabdomyolysis.

While many stimulants (eg, methylhexanamine, amphetamine, oxilofrine) are banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), a number are permitted and some are only monitored (eg, phenylephrine, synephrine, caffeine, bupropion).

Caffeine?

Caffeine was included on the prohibited list from 1980 to 2003, but as of 2016, caffeine is only included on the WADA monitoring list. Athletes may ingest caffeine as part of their diet or as a supplement.

Caffeine appears to improve exercise capacity during prolonged submaximal exercise (>90 minutes), sustained high-intensity training (20 to 60 minutes), and even short-duration, high-intensity exercise (1 to 5 minutes) . 

Caffeine supplementation is therefore likely to have performance benefits for a wide range of sports, ranging from extended endurance events to field and court sports involving short bursts of activity.

Research has demonstrated improved reaction times and delayed fatigue in simulated taekwondo competition , and improved performance in tennis.

The effects of caffeine on high-intensity, single event sports, such as Olympic weightlifting, high or long jumping, sprinting, and throwing (eg, discus, javelin) are not known, although there may be benefit during multiple attempts.

Traditionally, caffeine was taken as a single dose of 6 mg/kg body weight one hour before exercise, but smaller doses (1 to 3 mg/kg body weight) have been shown to have an ergogenic effect. 

No specific dose for eliciting an ergogenic effect during endurance exercise has been defined, but it is thought to be no more than 200 mg total. 

Coffee, tea, and cola drinks provide approximately 50 to 150 mg caffeine, but products such as caffeine tablets and some energy drinks contain much higher amounts. 

Caffeine's mechanism of action remains unclear, and there is significant variation in individual athlete's responses. It is rapidly absorbed (approximately 99 percent is absorbed within 45 minutes) and peak blood concentrations are seen within about one hour of ingestion, with these levels maintained for three to four hours. When consumed in beverages, caffeine is absorbed rapidly from the gastrointestinal tract and distributed throughout body water. The most rapid absorption occurs by chewing gum or using preparations containing caffeine that allow the compound to be absorbed directly via the oral mucosa [8]. Oral contraceptive use can double the half-life of caffeine via its effects on hepatic microsomal enzyme systems.

Caffeine has a complex range of actions, including:

●Stimulation of adrenaline release

●Increased cardiac muscle inotropy

●Increased skeletal muscle contractility

●Decreased perceived effort and fatigue

●Sparing glycogen and mobilizing fat (although this effect appears to be short lived and inconsistent) 

Caffeine is considered safe and in many cultures high daily caffeine intake is the norm. Moderate, daily caffeine intake does not appear to cause dehydration, as was once thought [9,10]. After repeated use, tolerance can develop for some of caffeine's effects, such as its stimulant properties, but the lipolytic actions are not affected.

The effects of caffeine supplementation are variable. Non-responders exist, as do individuals who are more sensitive to caffeine's effects, and who may experience irritability, tremor, sleep impairment, and tachycardia even at low doses. Rarely, individuals experience exaggerated side effects such as nervousness and anxiety that impair performance and they should avoid use. Caffeine withdrawal can cause fatigue and headaches, which may be deleterious to the competing athlete.

Caffeine is used widely among athletes in many sports (eg, distance running, cross-country ski racing) and among military personnel to increase alertness and for other purposes. Among elite distance runners (who drink cooled coffee or diluted soft drink), there is anecdotal evidence that caffeine improves performance near the 20 mile/30 km mark in marathons, possibly due to the glycogen sparing effect, which has increased its popularity for endurance events, including running and cycling.

Ok, so you just wonder how much caffeine is in your system today? and how can you optimise your caffeine and performance.

In the coming articles I will address more in to other substances. Take care for now..


Source:
Uptodate.com