Drugs and Supplements Used to Improve Athletic Performance

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Overview

   These headlines may be familiar, whether or not you are a sports fan: professional athletes are caught using anabolic steroids; an athlete's death is linked with dietary supplement use; Olympic athletes are stripped of medals after failing drug tests. More alarmingly, studies have shown that high school-aged – and even younger children - use anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing substances. A 2006 study estimated that the proportion of boys using anabolic steroids (including androstenedione) within the past year was about 2% in the 8th grade and 3% in the 12th grade. The estimate for girls was 1% in both the 8th and 12th grades. This equates to hundreds of thousands of adolescents taking these body-altering substances.

   The use of performance-enhancing substances seems to have exploded over the last 2 decades. Factors fueling this explosion probably include increases in drug discovery and the availability of information, heavy promotion of dietary supplements, and greater rewards for athletic success.

   Sports-governing agencies ban the use of some (but not all) supplements, drugs, and other substances that boost athletic performance. Prohibited substances include anabolic agents, stimulants, peptide hormones, and diuretics.

Publication Date: Apr-1-08
Expiration Date: Apr-1-11
CE Credit: 1.5 (.15 CEU)
Type of activity: Knowledge-based

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Authors

Peter J. Ambrose, Pharm.D., FASHP, Professor of Clinical Pharmacy, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of California, San Francisco, CA. Willis Shu, Pharm.D., MBA, Pharmacy Practice Resident, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Long Beach, CA.

Disclosure Statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose with regard to any of the products and services discussed in the article. Peter J. Ambrose discloses that he receives compensation from the National Center for Drug Free Sport when conducting drug testing collections for the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Guest Editorial Advisor

Guest Editor: Mary L. Chavez, Pharm.D., Professor, Texas A & M Health Science Center College of Pharmacy, Kingsville, TX.

Editorial and Review Board

Editor Terry M. Baker, PharmD Associate Editors James Chan, PharmD, PhD Pharmacy Quality and Outcomes Coordinator Kaiser Permanente Oakland, CA Assistant Clinical Professor School of Pharmacy University of California San Francisco San Francisco, CA< Ron Finley, RPh Lecturer Department of Clinical Pharmacy University of California San Francisco San Francisco, CA Associate Member of the UCSF Memory and Aging Center Alzheimer's Research Center Consultant Pharmacist to the Institute on Aging-On Lok Senior Health Institute on Aging Alzheimer's Day Care Center Angie S. Graham, PharmD Drug Information Coordinator Stanford Hospital and Clinics Stanford University Medical Center Stanford, CA Candy Tsourounis, PharmD Associate Clinical Professor Department of Clinical Pharmacy School of Pharmacy University of California, San Francisco San Francisco, CA Director of the Drug Information Analysis Service University of California, San Francisco San Francisco, CA

Assistant Editor and CE Coordinator Tracy Farnen, PharmD Assistant Editor Cynthia Chan Huang, PharmD, MBA Senior Editorial Advisor Gerard Hatheway, PharmD, PhD Editorial Advisors Belinda M. Danielson, RPh Christopher M. DeSoto, PharmD Fred Plageman, PharmD Editorial Advisor and Clinical Practice Consultant for Nurse Practitioners Emily K. Meuleman, RN, C, MS

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Target Audience

This accredited program is targeted to pharmacists and nurses.

Exam and Credit Statement Procedures

Upon successful completion of this program and the post test (70%), 1.5 hours of continuing education credit will be awarded. To receive credit and your exam score, please complete the exam questions and program evaluation.

Educational Goals and Objectives

At the conclusion of this program, participants will be able to:

• State 3 reasons why some athletes take performance-enhancing drugs and supplements.
• List 5 drug classes or supplements used to enhance athletic performance. Describe the potential harmful effects of each.
• Identify 3 national or international sports-governing agencies that have doping control policies. Discuss the complexities involved in complying with the policies of multiple agencies.
• Describe the role of community practitioners in helping athletes with medication management and doping control.