Human Growth Hormone
What does HGH do?
Synthetic product copying natural growth hormone to increase protein synthesis for muscle growth, recovery and repair.
What is IHT?
Method of training where athletes live at sea level but train under hypoxic conditions (low partial pressure of oxygen). Due to lower travel expenses, it is preferable to altitude training.
Three different types of cooling aids
Ice vests, ice packs, ice baths
How is creatine stored in the body?
Almost all creatine is stored in the muscle tissue as phosphocreatine (PC) and used to fuel very high-intensity energy production
It can be consumed as sodium bicarbonate or 'baking soda'
Why is HGH difficult to detect?
Difficult to detect due to naturally circulating levels
Which athletes benefit from IHT?
Endurance athletes
Give two sporting examples in which cooling aids are used
Pre-event-> Endurance athletes in hot climates, like marathon runners, often wear ice vests before their events.
Injury treatment -> Muscle strains are common in sprinters as are shin splints – ice packs and sprays can be used to treat this by reducing pain and swelling
Post-event -> Due to the large amount of lactic acid accumulated in a 400m sprint, ice baths can be beneficial in flushing waste products out with oxygen-rich blood.
What forms is creatine accessible in?
It is easily accessible as creatine monohydrate in health food shops and online in powder, capsule and tablet form or combined with protein in powder form.
What is the role of bicarbonate?
An alkaline which acts as a buffer to neutralise the rise in lactic acid associated with intense anaerobic activity.
How long was Blessing Okagbare banned for?
She was banned for a total of 10 years, five years for the presence and use of multiple prohibited substances and five years for her refusal to co-operate with the AIU’s investigation into her case
Three benefits of IHT
Acclimatisation for events at altitude
Increased red blood cell, haemoglobin and oxygen-carrying capacity
Increased intensity and duration before fatigue
Increased mitochondria and buffering capacity, delaying OBLA (Onset of Blood Lactate Accumulation)
Why are cooling aids used pre-event and post-event?
Pre-event -> Ice vests and cold towel wraps can be used before an event to reduce core body temperature to sustain intensity while reducing thermal strain and cardiovascular drift.
Post-event -> During ice baths blood vessels constrict, removing waste and lactic acid from the muscle tissue. After the ice bath, blood vessels dilate, flushing the muscle tissue with oxygenated blood.
How does creatine help a 400m sprinter?
Creatine supplementation may give a 400m sprinter the extra energy required to run two more repetitions per set, which over time will result in developed muscular endurance. Plus, its role in supplying fuel for high-intensity exercise is relevant to sprinters.
Benefits of bicarbonate
Increased buffering capacity
Increased tolerance to lactic acid, delaying OBLA.
Increased intensity and duration of performance
Benefits:
Increased muscle mass and strength
Increased fat metabolism and decreased mass fat
Increased blood glucose levels
Risks:
Abnormal bone and muscle development
Enlargement of vital organs, potentially leading to multi-organ failure
Increased risk of certain cancers and diabetes
Four risks of IHT
Any benefit is quickly lost when IHT stops
May lose motivation and disrupt training patterns
Decrease immune function and increase risk of infection
Dehydration
Critically evaluate the use of cooling aids as a means of performance enhancement.
Positives:
Reduce core body temperature
Decreased sweating, dehydration, early fatigue
Decreased injury pain and swelling
Negatives:
Ice burns and pains if places directly on the skin
Difficult to perceive exercise intensity if the area is numbed
Hide or complicate injuries
Analyse the benefits and the risks of using creatine
Benefits:
Increased phosphocreatine stores by 50%
Increased fuel for very high-intensity energy production (ATP-PC system)
Increased intensity and duration of training
Risks:
Increased weight gain
Increased water retention
Muscle cramps
Risks of bicarbonate
Possible gastrointestinal problems
Unpleasant taste, causing nausea