- Interested in our products? Win them for free. This week we're giving away a free bottle of PX 7030. This is how y...
- I absolutely LOVE STRIKER!!!! It does not make me feel jittery or wired but gives me enough energy to get through my bus...
- I have been taking Kemical Warfare and PX7030 for two months now and my results are amazing! I feel like I can bench pre...
- What is Cortisol? Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced in the adrenal glands (small glands adjacent to the kidneys)....
Performance Enhancing Drugs and Ergogenic Aids: A Summary of Current Literature
-
font size:
decrease font size
increase font size
|
PED / EA |
Action |
Research on Ergogenic Effects |
Side Effects |
Legality |
|
|
Alcohol |
↓ anxiety |
No benefits |
Significant |
Banned for shooting events |
|
|
Amphetamines |
Improve concentration, ↓ fatigue and appetite |
Mixed, some positive |
Significant, dangerous |
Illegal |
|
|
Anabolic steroids |
↑ strength, lean muscle mass and motivation |
Positive |
Significant, dangerous |
Illegal |
|
|
Androstenediol |
Same as steroids |
Limited, Refutes |
Unknown |
Legal |
|
|
Androstenedione |
Same as steroids |
Refutes, no benefits |
Significant |
Banned by IOC, NCAA |
|
|
Arginine, Ornithine, Lysine |
Stimulate release of growth hormone |
No benefit |
None at doses used |
Legal |
|
|
Aspirin |
↓ pain with muscle fatigue and muscle breakdown |
No benefit |
Mild |
Legal |
|
|
Beta blockers |
↓ anxiety |
Positive effect on fine motor control, negative effect on aerobic capacity |
Significant |
Banned by IOC |
|
|
Beta2 agonists |
↑ lean muscle mass |
Mixed, no benefit from inhaled formulations |
Mild |
Banned by IOC, legal when prescribed |
|
|
Blood doping |
↑ aerobic capacity |
Supports |
Significant, dangerous |
Illegal |
|
|
Branched chain amino acids |
↓ mental fatigue |
Mixed, negative |
Mild at high doses |
Legal |
|
|
Caffeine |
↑ muscle contractility and aerobic endurance, enhances fat metabolism |
Supports |
Mild |
Legal to urine level of 12 to 15 µg per mL |
|
Carnitine |
↑ fat metabolism |
Refutes |
None |
Legal |
|
Choline |
↑ endurance |
Mixed, inconclusive |
None |
Legal |
|
Chromium |
↑ lean mass |
Refutes, no benefit unless prior deficiency |
Safe to 400 µg daily, potentially dangerous above this level |
Legal |
|
Chrysin |
Inhibits aromatase, ↑ endogenous steroids |
Limited, refutes |
None |
Legal |
|
Coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone) |
Delays fatigue, acts as antioxidant |
Refutes, no benefit |
None |
Legal |
|
Creatine |
↑ muscle energy, endurance, strength and lean muscle mass |
Supports, insufficient data on long-term use |
Mild |
Legal |
|
DHEA |
↑ endogenous steroid production |
No benefit in healthy athletes |
Potentially dangerous |
DHEA |
|
Diuretics |
↓ body mass |
Limited benefit |
Potentially dangerous |
Banned by IOC |
|
Ephedrine |
Stimulate CNS, ↑ energy, delay fatigue, stimulate weight loss |
No benefit |
Potentially dangerous |
Ephedrine |
|
Ephedrine plus caffeine |
↑ energy, stimulates weight loss |
Supports |
Potentially dangerous, fatal at high doses |
Banned by IOC, some other organizations |
|
Erythropoietin |
↑ aerobic capacity |
Supports |
Significant, dangerous |
Illegal |
|
GHB |
Stimulates growth hormone release and muscle growth |
Limited, refutes |
Significant, dose-related; abuse potential |
Illegal |
|
Ginseng |
↑ endurance, enhances muscle recovery |
Limited, refutes, no benefit |
Mild, abuse syndrome reported |
Legal |
|
Glucosamine |
An NSAID alternative, enhances recovery |
Limited, may have limited NSAID abilities |
None |
Legal |
|
Glutamine |
Boosts immunity and growth hormone levels |
May boost immunity, no other benefits |
None |
Legal |
|
Glycerol |
Improves hydration and endurance |
Limited, supports |
Mild |
Legal |
|
Guarana (herbal caffeine) |
Same as caffeine |
|
|
|
|
HMB |
↓ muscle breakdown, enhances recovery |
Limited, some strength benefits |
None |
Legal |
|
Human growth hormone |
Anabolic effect on muscle growth, |