Substances & side effects

• Amino acid naturally produced by the liver, kidneys and pancreas and stored in muscle tissue
• Also found in food, such as fish and red meat
• Creatine use significantly increased after the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona when it was discovered that many Olympians had used it to help improve their performance
• Frequently used by people involved in sports that require power, such as football

• Used by the body to help make Adenosine Triphospate (ATP), a form of energy utilized in sprinting or anaerobic activities

• Increase work capacity with short, repetitive exercise or anaerobic activity
• Prolong onset of fatigue after exercise
• Increase in weight and muscle strength, as well as improve performance

• Studies in the laboratory setting have found some ergogenic benefit (including increase in power, strength and sprint performance) in activities of high energy and short duration (<30 sec). Application of this to enhanced performance in sporting activities is less well demonstrated.
• Increase in weight gain

• Water retention resulting in weight gain at initiation of supplement
• Anecdotal muscle and stomach cramping
• Dehydration
• Possibility of developing reversible kidney issues
• Potential increased risk of compartment syndrome

• Very few studies have evaluated the short- and long-term effects of creatine usage in people younger than 18 years old
• American Academy of Sports Medicine suggests that people younger than 18 years old should not be using creatine
• "Creatine can be viewed as a 'gateway substance' that may prompt a young athlete to consider other ergogenic aids, such as anabolic steroids." (Laos & Metzl)

• No bans in place
• Cannot be given to athletes directly through NCAA-associated facilities

Back to top

DHEA

• Formally known as dehydroepiandrosterone
• Naturally produced and secreted by the adrenal glands and gonads
• Very similar to androstenedione and anabolic steroids
• DHEA production decreases with age

• Used by the body to help increase the amount of testosterone in the body

• Increase muscle mass and strength when high doses are used
• Improve performance
• Decrease body fat
• Decrease risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer's and osteoporosis
• Decreases or reverses aging process; known as "fountain of youth"

• Increases in testosterone are not found with moderate doses
• Studies have shown no increase in muscle mass, strength or performance, as well as no other ergogenic effects on the body

• Testicular shrinkage
• Male pattern baldness
• Weight loss
• Stretch marks
• Irreversible development of breasts in men
• Acne
• Irreversible acquisition of male characteristics in women
• Decrease in strength of tendons
• Possibility of addiction
• Increased estrogen effect, which can increase the risk of developing CVD, breast cancer and pancreatic cancer
• Possibility of increasing hormone-sensitive malignancies
• May lead to adverse ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein
• May result in stunted growth in athletes who have not completed growing
• May cause positive results with drug testing

• Banned by major sports organizations such as the International Olympic Committee, National Collegiate Athletic Association and the National Football League

Back to top

Ephedrine

• A stimulant found in the herbal forms of ephedra and Ma Huang
• Used in the production of methamphetamine in illegal drug labs
• Usually combined with caffeine in weight loss products
• Hundreds of unfavorable reactions, including death, have been reported to the FDA after using products containing ephedrine

• Increase in heat production and resting metabolic rate, which helps with caloric expenditure and results in weight loss
• Delays fatigue
• Believed to cause an increase in stimulation of the central nervous system

• Some studies have shown that the use of ephedrine did not lead to improvements in performance

• Jittery
• Sweating
• Weight loss
• Increased heart rate
• Increased blood pressure
• Heart Attack
• Stroke
• Seizure
• Arrhythmias
• Psychiatric problems

• Banned by major sports organizations
• Banned by FDA in 2004

Protein Supplements

• One of the more commonly used supplements in athletes
• Most US Citizens take in more than the required daily amount of protein
• RDA protein general population is 0.8 mg/kg/day
• RDA for an athlete is 1.2-1.4 mg/kg/day (endurance) and 1.2-1.7 mg/kg/day (resistance training)
• Typically available in powder and liquid forms
• Best source of protein supplementation is food-based protein

• Weight gain
• Increases in strength, power & lean muscle

• BCAA have not been proven to increase lean muscle or help improve performance, especially with resistance training
• Some studies have demonstrated no change in strength or lean muscle with the use of glutamine

• Water retention resulting in weight gain at initiation of supplement
• Anecdotal muscle and stomach cramping
• Dehydration
• Possibility of developing reversible kidney issues
• Potential increased risk of compartment syndrome

• Kidney problems when taken in high amounts
• Not proven to increase strength or lean muscle

• No bans in place