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Spec

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Spec

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TED Edinborough

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Russell Foster is a circadian neuroscientist: He studies the sleep cycles of the brain. And he asks: What do we know about sleep? Not a lot, it turns out, for something we do with one-third of our lives.

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Adrenaline

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How does the human heart react to the most extreme forms of stress?

Using sports science technology, three very different riders at the International North West 200 motorbike festival, put this question to the test.

With top speeds hitting 208mph, on closed public roads around the coast of Northern Ireland, the North West 200 is one of the fastest road races in the world. The motorbikes are often just inches from each other.

Three competitors were fitted with a heart strap and wireless sensor to measure their heart rate over every inch of the course.

The riders were 'the Champion' Alastair Seeley, 33, 'the Novice' Gareth Keys, 22, and 'the Veteran' Jeremy McWilliams, 49.
Heart stress
Facts of the heart

The average adult heart:

Beats 72 times a minute

100,000 times a day

2.5 billion times in a lifetime

Weighs 250-350 grams

Pumps over 9,000 litres of blood through 60,000 miles of blood vessels every day

Is made of cardiac muscle, which never tires

Dr Sean Roe, from the Centre for Biomedical Science Education at Queen's University Belfas t, explains what causes the heart stress and some of the factors that influence the results.

"The heart is controlled largely by two centres in the brain," said Dr Roe.

"The sympathetic 'fight or flight' response or the parasympathetic 'rest and digest' response.

"On occasions that require extra cardiac output the sympathetic nervous system kicks in, which speeds up the heart. Cardiac output, which is the amount of blood put out by the heart every minute, increases allowing the additional demands to be met.

"Alternatively when someone is relaxing, the parasympathetic nervous system is to the fore, reducing cardiac output by reducing heart rate, and increasing blood flow to the digestive system, taking it away from the muscles.

"Anything that increases fight or flight, such as exercise or emotional stress, will increase stress on the heart."
Harder, faster, stronger
Cardiac function is related to fitness and age. The better your heart is at pushing blood around the body, the less relative stress it will be under when your heart rate goes up.

Dr Roe explained how exercise can help the heart cope with stress.

"One of the effects of training is to increase the volume of cardiac chambers. To increase cardiac output a certain amount, a fit heart would need to increase heart rate only a small amount compared to an unfit heart, because the fit heart is pumping more with each beat."

He considers emotional stress to be among the main factors increasing heart rate for competitors in road racing.

"How stressful you interpret the situation to be would contribute to how fast your heart rate goes," he said.
The results
Results of the heart rate test were taken on each of the rider's first laps of evening racing, when the competitors had to battle difficult conditions after a typical torrential downpour at the North West 200.

The Champion, Alastair Seeley, had the lowest heart rate, with an average beats per minute (bpm) of 134, which is 71% of his maximum heart rate. There were minimal 'spikes' (moments of sharply increased output) throughout the lap.

Dr Roe was impressed by such a low, consistent heart rate.

The heart under stress

Body goes into 'fight or flight' mode

Brain releases adrenaline and cortisol

Heart rate rises

Blood flow increases - raising blood pressure

Fatty acids and glucose are released into the bloodstream for energy

"The Champion clearly didn't perceive the situation as stressful. He is an 'ice man'. An average bpm of 134 equates to a brisk walk for most people, and his breathing techniques may well have helped him."

By contrast, the Novice, Gareth Keys, had an average heart rate of 185bpm.

"That is the equivalent of Sir Bradley Wiggins climbing Alpe d'Huez in the Tour de France. Such is the level of physiological stress... we calculated it as 94% of his maximum heart rate. This indicates a very large physiological stress stemming from his perception of the situation being quite threatening," said Dr Roe.

The Veteran, Jeremy McWilliams, is somewhere in between the two riders, with an average heart rate of 164 bpm.

"The Veteran has the experience of having been there and done that, taking away some of the emotional stress. But an average heart rate 164bpm is 96% of his maximum heart rate."
Deadly risks
No matter how meticulously a rider prepares it is impossible to cover every eventuality. There is a thrilling unpredictability to road racing and this race was no exception.

The Novice was faced with a dog running out in front of him, causing his bpm to peak at 204bpm, while the Veteran had to contend with a fellow rider coming off his bike at high speed just metres in front of him, resulting in a huge spike of 220bpm.

Good core muscular strength is vital in road racing.

"A rider's core muscles have to withstand the forces of acceleration and braking and after a number of laps those muscles get tired. Tired muscles are harder to control and can lead to more mistakes later in the race," said Dr Roe.

Minimising the risk of mistakes is imperative in a road race, where the slightest error can have serious, even fatal, consequences. Dr Roe puts the risk road racers take in stark terms.

"Human reaction time is between 150 and 300 milliseconds. If a rider is travelling at 200mph, he is travelling 90 metres per second. In the one-fifth of a second he takes to react, he will have travelled about 18 metres. This means that if anything unexpected happens within 20 metres of a rider, a high speed collision can be unavoidable."
Preparing for the unexpected
"Start Quote

We all know it's a dangerous sport and we accept that. The danger element is the reason I do it."

"It is important to train to certain zones to be within 160, 170, 180 beats per minute. Train your heart to the particular zone you're going to be in when you're racing," explained Alastair Seeley, who won the feature Superbike race at the North West 200 in 2012.

Many competitors also ride motocross bikes in deep sand during the winter to prepare themselves for the physical rigours of road racing.

Gio Capello, a strength and conditioning coach who worked with Seeley, explained the benefits of carefully tailored training.

"During races, a rider's heart can get up to 180bpm at certain points so you want to develop more capacity to cope with those rates. We worked with Alastair on improving his aerobic fitness and increasing his VO2 max [the volume of oxygen you can consume while exercising at your maximum capacity]."
Psychological pressure
The Veteran is adamant that stress and pressure are always there in the build-up to a race.

"That's the side of racing that's not pleasant, the nervous energy, not knowing what's around the corner. Once the flag drops it becomes so much easier, all of that is gone."

The Novice prepares for the race by attempting to blank everything out and focus on the task ahead.

"I'll spend about a minute alone with the bike just thinking about who's in front of me and stay as calm as I can."

The Champion explains how there are practical steps a rider can take during the race to keep their heart rate down.

"Round the coast road section of the North West 200, it's quite busy and sometimes you maybe hold your breath for that bit too long, which then upsets the rhythm of the heart. But once I get on the big straights here I consciously take some big gulps of air and calm myself down again."
Life at 200mph
Despite the many factors that influence cardiac performance at high speeds, perhaps the most important thing for any road racer to have in their hearts is a love of the sport. Without this, it's unlikely they would take on such big risks at such high speeds.

Guy Martin, a regular rider at road racing events, said the risk factor goes some way to explaining the sport's attraction: "We all know it's a dangerous sport and we accept that. Probably the danger element is the reason I do it - I like the buzz."

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How does the human heart react to the most extreme forms of stress? Using sports science technology, three very different riders at the International North West 200 motorbike festival, put this question to the test. With top speeds hitting 208mph, on closed public roads around the coast of Northern Ireland, the North West 200 is one of the fastest road races in the world.

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Samatotypes

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Before you start your training and nutrition regimen, it's a good idea to figure out your body type. Knowing which of the three basic body types you're closest to will help you better tailor your diet and exercise plan to meet your needs, and set realistic, attainable goals that pave the way to your success.

Take the test to find out your body type, your ideal workout, and the best supplements for your goals!

What does my body type mean?

There are three basic human body types: the endomorph, the mesomorph, and the ectomorph. Despite what it might feel like at times, you're not completely bound to one category or the other. Your lifestyle, genetics, history, and training style all play a part in how you look, and you can definitely change it over time.

That said, many of us to have certain tendencies toward one group or the other. Here's what typifies each one:

Ectomorph

An ectomorph tends to be thin, and struggles to gain weight as either body fat or muscle. They can eat piles of food and stay looking the same, even when gaining muscular weight is their biggest goal. People who battle to gain muscle are often known as "hardgainers."

Ectomorphs tends to have a lean build, long limbs, and small muscle bellies. Even if an ectomorph manages to put on weight, they may still look skinnier than they are, particularly in the calves and forearms.

Being an ectomorph doesn't mean you're doomed to be weak, though. You can still get remarkably strong, and you can be every bit as fit and healthy as someone who looks larger and more muscular. But if you want to gain weight, you'd better be prepared to eat like you've never eaten before.

Mesomorph

The mesomorph has a middle-of-the-road build that takes the best of both worlds. They tend to have wide shoulders, a narrow waist, relatively thin joints, and round muscle bellies.

In short, if you're a mesomorph, you have a natural tendency to be fit and relatively muscular. Does this mean you can do nothing, eat everything, and get away with it forever? Definitely not-and you're not necessarily healthier than the other two types, either. But you may be able to "bounce back" from being out of shape more easily than the other two body types, gaining muscle and burning fat with comparative ease.

Endomorph

The endomorph tends to gain weight and keep it on. Their build is a little wider than an ectomorph or mesomorph, with a thick ribcage, wide hips, and shorter limbs. They may have more muscle than either of the other body types, but they often struggle to gain it without significant amounts of accompanying body fat. If you ever feel like you gain 5 pounds simply walking by a donut shop, you may be an endomorph.

This definitely doesn't mean that an endomorph can't be healthy. They can be every bit as strong, healthy, and capable as the other two groups, and may actually have some strength advantages due to their additional muscle mass. But if and when they decide to lean out, it'll take hard work!

What's the best way to train for my body type?

Only you can say what your goals should be. Many great bodybuilders started out as either rail-thin ectomorphs or endomorphs who struggled with their weight. They learned to overcome their natural tendencies and take control of their life, and so can you!

That said, you may very well find that you have the most success if you use your body type to your advantage.

Ectomorph: Eat a lot of protein and carbs, regularly lift heavy with good form, and don't overdo aerobic activities. Just because you're thin doesn't mean you're healthy, so still take your diet and fitness seriously!

Mesomorph: Lift moderate weight on a regular basis, and engage in aerobic activities regularly. Don't worry about getting "bulky," but watch out for creeping fat gains. You're not invincible to them!

Endomorph: You may benefit from using moderate weights and maintaining a relatively fast training pace. Getting your heart pumping daily with some form of activity is a good idea for both health and calorie burn. If you find yourself doing lots of work and still gaining weight, the answer is probably in the kitchen.

In-Betweeners

Sometimes, you're a little bit of this and a little bit of that. As with most training programs, the right program for in-betweeners might be a mix, so it's important to know who you are.

An ectomorph might have naturally huge arms and self-identify as a mesomorph but be a hard gainer everywhere else.

In this case, the basic rules of training for ectomorphs should still be followed, with a de-emphasis on upper arm isolation, in favor of compound exercises, if balance is one of the goals.

Likewise, a mesomorph with naturally skinny arms might accidentally, in service to bulking-up those arms, pack on extra torso weight where it's not wanted.

Even endomorphs might have slightly thinner legs and tighter glutes than usual for their body type, viewing themselves as mesomorphs and gobbling down carbs without worry, with a dietary intake more fitting to the slimmer athlete.

The curse of the in-betweeners is to see themselves a little less clearly, favoring the body type they'd want to be, and following the wrong program. In-betweeners should know thyself, and train accordingly.

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Before you start your training and nutrition regimen, it's a good idea to figure out your body type. Knowing which of the three basic body types you're closest to will help you better tailor your diet and exercise plan to meet your needs, and set realistic, attainable goals that pave the way to your success.

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Physiological regression

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The fitness mantra, you must 'use it or lose it!' might be a bit of a cliché, but it turns out that this saying perfectly sums up one of the key principles of fitness and exercise - reversibility. At a time of year when it's tempting to leave the bike in the shed, it's even more important to maintain fitness
So long as you train, you can maintain and (hopefully) build your fitness levels. However, stop training and your fitness levels will steadily decline.

The obvious question that you might therefore ask is, "How much fitness will I lose if I decide to take a break, or if I'm forced to stop training because of injury or illness? And how rapidly will this fitness loss occur?" To answer this, it's important to understand that there are several different components of fitness, including muscular strength, muscular endurance and cardiovascular - heart, lung and circulatory - endurance.
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Stop training and the performance decline in each of these components will take place at different rates. So let's take an imaginary well-trained cyclist and observe what happens to their body over a period of six months following the complete cessation of training.

Day 0
This is your last training day for the next six months. After today's ride, you store your bike away, hang up your cycling shoes and join the bulk of Britons who do no regular vigorous exercise whatsoever!

Day 3
After three days of inactivity, you might expect that your fitness has already begun to decline. In reality, however, the losses at this stage are very small. If you had been training hard prior to day 0, after three days of rest, your cycling fitness is now probably enhanced.

That's because in those three days, your muscles have had time to fully recover; muscle carbohydrate stores (glycogen) have been topped up, muscle fibres damaged during hard training have been fully repaired, and favourable metabolic changes in the muscles have had time to occur.

Indeed, this peak in performance after a few days of rest is exactly the reason why tapering works, and why you shouldn't train right up to the day of a big event.

Day 7 (Week 1)
After a week's complete inactivity, changes begin to occur in the body that result in fitness losses. For example, after three days, your blood volume can be reduced by five to 12 per cent. This means a decrease in the amount of blood your heart can pump - both in terms of amount of blood pumped per beat and total blood volume per minute.

The result is that your heart has to work slightly harder to maintain a given workload on the bike. There are some metabolic changes too. After six days or so, muscles begin to become less efficient at 'soaking up' glucose - the body's premium fuel for exercise - from the bloodstream. This means that during exercise, you need to place more reliance on your (limited) muscle glycogen stores, and also that you become less efficient at building up those glycogen stores after exercise.
>>> Fuel properly for winter cycling
A third change is that your muscles start to become less efficient at coping with lactate accumulation during sustained efforts of hard cycling. The upshot is that you won't be able to sustain quite the same exercise intensity before having to back off, because of the burning sensation in the legs and laboured breathing.

Weeks 2-3
At this point, your maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max, the prime measure of your aerobic fitness) will have declined by anything from four to 20 per cent. Part of this stems from reduced cardiac output, not helped by the fact that the muscle mass in the pumping chambers of the heart can decrease by almost 20 per cent after three weeks of inactivity.
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It also arises because of changes in muscle physiology and biochemistry that are beginning to take place. For example, the fine network of muscle capillaries built up with endurance training begins to decline. As a result, oxygen uptake in the muscles can decline by up to eight per cent.

One month
All of the detraining changes outlined above continue to progress, but fundamental muscle changes are now becoming prominent. By now, your muscle capillarisation will have returned to your pre-training baseline. However, it is still likely to be higher than that in people who have never trained. Alterations are taking place in your muscle biochemistry.

The biochemical pathways that help your muscles burn fat for energy start to become less efficient, making it harder to burn while you ride, which in turn reduces your endurance capacity. On top of that, not only is your overall muscle mass declining (reducing your maximum power and strength), muscle fibres known as Type IIa (used during high-intensity sustained efforts) start to revert to Type IIx fibres, with greatly reduced endurance capacity.

In short, your ability to maintain a full-out effort, for example, a sprint to the finish line, diminishes dramatically.

2-3 months
After two months of inactivity, your heart is noticeably less muscular, the thickness of the muscle walls that comprise the pumping chambers reduced by as much as 25 per cent. The muscle mitochondria are also becoming less efficient at using oxygen to produce energy in your muscles. This efficiency can decline by 25 to 45 per cent up to 12 weeks after training cessation.

After three months, you also begin to undergo 'hormonal detraining'. Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate the body's biochemistry; as you become detrained, more stress hormones are released during exercise, which basically means that the same exercise intensity becomes more stressful for the body, which in turn increases recovery times.
Keep trim this winter
6 months
By six months, your fitness declines have mostly stabilised. However, there are still undesirable changes taking place. For example, the actual volume of mitochondria per unit volume of muscle is declining, further reducing your ability to utilise oxygen during exercise.

You've almost certainly gained body fat due to a lower daily calorie burn and a loss of muscle mass. So while you may not have gained weight on the scales, you will have almost certainly become 'fatter', with all the health risks that involves.
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The science

The decline of fitness components during detraining
There are a number of components of fitness that become 'detrained' when you cease training. These include:

Cardiovascular Stop training and your blood volume falls, which means there is a decrease in the total amount of blood your heart can pump during exercise. The dimensions of the heart muscle also decrease, as does respiratory (lung) function, caused by weakening of the muscles in the ribcage. All of this reduces the amount of oxygen you can transport to your working muscles, which means your maximal performance will start to decline.

Metabolic Over time, your muscles will find it harder to produce energy from your fat stores. This effectively decreases your endurance since carbohydrate stores - the other major fuel source during exercise - are quite limited, whereas energy from fat stores is virtually unlimited. Something called 'insulin sensitivity' is also reduced, which means your muscles find it harder to take up glucose (muscle fuel).
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A less efficient oxygen metabolism means that for a given effort level, higher levels of fatiguing blood lactate are produced in your muscles, making it harder for you to maintain high training intensities.

Muscular detraining In your cycling muscles, the density of capillaries - the tiny blood vessels that carry oxygen to your muscles - decreases, and the concentration of enzymes in muscle mitochondria (the 'aerobic energy factories' within cells) used to release energy from oxygen, also decreases. As well as this, muscle fibres shrink in cross section and cell-signalling hormones involved with gaining and maintaining strength decline, leading to strength losses.

Fitness Tip

Keep your fitness in 12 minutes a week!
If you're a seasoned cyclist, don't worry about taking a training break of up to two weeks as your fitness losses will not be too large. However, fitness losses for those new to cycling, or those or with a low fitness base will be proportionately greater.

For breaks of more than two weeks, you'll need some kind of training stimulus to avoid a bigger decline in your fitness. For example, interval sessions consisting of just 8×30-second efforts, two or three times a week - just 12 minutes a week - can be very effective at preserving aerobic fitness.
>>> Why stress can make you fat - and what to do about it
During any period where you drastically cut down on training volume, remember you will also need to curtail your calorie intake in order to prevent the performance-blunting effects of increased body fat.

If you haven't already done so, think about investing in a turbo-trainer or other training device for the long, dark winter nights and inclement weather.

Bad and good news

Stop training and your fitness begins to decline quite soon after, continuing to fall away the longer you stay off the bike, until after six months of inactivity, you'll be a long way behind in the fitness stakes.

There is good news, however; although you'll lose plenty of fitness, you'll likely maintain a higher fitness baseline than someone who's never trained. Studies have shown that the muscles of previously trained people are better at coping with lactate accumulation, and have better capillarisation and mitochondrial density than lifelong couch potatoes.

If you need to take a short training break, there's more good news as research shows that a relatively short break (two weeks or so), is not considered too disruptive, providing the previous training adaptations have been achieved over a period of at least 12 weeks or more.

And if the winter months are a real struggle for you, there's evidence that even relatively small volumes of the right kind of training can reduce detraining to a minimum.

For example, research shows that reducing your training volume by two thirds won't harm your fitness, provided you include some very intense work, such as intervals, in the remaining one third.

Indeed, just by doing a little bit of high-intensity interval work, such as 7 x30-second 'all-out' bouts performed three times per week, may be enough to preserve the bulk of your hard-earned cycling fitness.
This post was updated on 14 December 2017

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Detraining: The truth about losing fitness - Cycling Weekly

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The fitness mantra, you must 'use it or lose it!' might be a bit of a cliché, but it turns out that this saying perfectly sums up one of the key principles of fitness and exercise - reversibility.

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Ergogenic Aids

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Chris Froome, Nairo Quintana and every pro cyclist will have to share all their performance data from training sessions and races if new plans to boost the fight against doping become reality.

The information could be used alongside the Biological Passport to clear clean riders of false allegations and shine a spotlight on those who might be cheating, say experts from the University of Kent.

The idea has been discussed with the UCI-backed Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation (CADF) by Dr James Hopker and Professor Louis Passfield, who's worked with Britain's top cyclists for three Olympic Games. Now the two sports scientists want pro teams to help them develop the data-based Performance Passport.

They say data about power output, heart rate and speed from riders' training sessions and races, collected over many months, could provide evidence of the probability of an exceptional performance being fair.

If such a system had been in place last year, it would have prevented the allegations that followed Froome's stunning ascent of La Pierre St Martin in the 2015 Tour de France.

Critics had guesstimated Froome's power output to speculate that he was doping. The false allegations prompted Team Sky to release data to show his winning climb was within reason.

"There's a general consensus growing among the pro peloton that something needs to be done around this, particularly to try to strengthen the current Biological Passport system," says Hopker.

"Looking at single performances is not the way to do it so what we're looking at is a smarter way to use power meter data."
Is this the hardest test you can do on a bike?
The scientists know they have to win the trust of the pro teams to make the Performance Passport a reality.

"One of the key issues is about privacy of the data. Teams are naturally going to be very reluctant to reveal data that might remove competitive advantage whether in racing tactics or training strategy," says Passfield.

To gain that confidence, data will be anonymised, averaged and aggregated over several months so that the performance of an individual cannot be identified.

Instead, the scientists will get a broad picture of how pro riders are likely to perform and the probability of an exceptional ride being made fairly.

"If we have a benchmark for the peloton as a whole we'll see the degree of change and trends over time," says Hopker.

It will take time for the idea to be made fully functional. "This is long term - it'll take several years to implement. But if we don't start now we won't be in any position to produce to some time soon. The way sport and society is going, we'll have to do it at some point," says Passfield.
Max Glaskin is an award-winning freelance journalist who tweets about cycling and science as @CyclingScience1. He is author of Cycling Science (published by Frances Lincoln UK, Chicago University Press USA, and seven other languages).

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Plans to use pro cyclists' power data to help stop doping - Cycling Weekly

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Chris Froome, Nairo Quintana and every pro cyclist will have to share all their performance data from training sessions and races if new plans to boost the fight against doping become reality. The information could be used alongside the Biological Passport to clear clean riders of false allegations and shine a spotlight on those who might be cheating, say experts from the University of Kent.

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Data

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Bod Pod

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Response to Exercise

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CV Responses

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Krebs & ETC

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Altitude

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Altitude Training

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Ergogenic Aids - Caffeine

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Ergogenic Aids

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Ergogenic Aids

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Haemoglobin

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Ergogenic Aids

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Drugs commonly referred to as steroids can be classified as anabolic (anabolic-androgenic) steroids or corticosteroids. Corticosteroids, such as cortisone or prednisone are drugs that doctors often prescribe to help control inflammation in the body. Corticosteroids are not the same as the anabolic steroids that are often linked with illegal use in sports.

Anabolic Steroids

Anabolic steroids ( anabolic-androgenic steroids) are synthetic versions of the male hormone testosterone.

They are a class of drugs that are legally available only by prescription and are prescribed to treat a variety of conditions that cause a loss of lean muscle mass.

Non-medical use of anabolic steroids is illegal and banned by most major sports organizations. In January 2005, the Anabolic Steroid Control Act was amended with the Controlled Substance Act that added anabolic steroids and prohormones (a precursor to a hormone) to the list of controlled substances and makes possession of the substances a federal crime. Still, some athletes continue to use them illegally despite evidence that using them this way can cause many serious health problems.

How They Work

Anabolic steroids are testosterone derivatives that help the body metabolize ingested proteins and facilitate the synthesis of skeletal muscle. They also delay fatigue and may create a feeling of euphoria.

Commonly Used Steroids

Androstenedione (Andro)
Androstenedione (Andro) is a designer steroid often mentioned in relation with athletes, although there is little scientific evidence to support its effectiveness in improving sports performance. Andro is a supplement made from a naturally occurring steroid hormone. In 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned the sale of Andro due to increasing evidence that showed serious health risks to those using the substance.

Primobolan (Methenolone)
This banned steroid has been linked to several Major League Baseball players, including Alex Rodriguez. It can be injected or taken in a tablet form. Primobolan has been a popular steroid among athletes because it builds strength without muscle bulk and without many of the negative side effects of other steroids.

Tetrahydrogestrinone (THG)
Tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) is another designer steroid that has a similar chemical structure to other banned steroids. It appears that THG was specifically manufactured so it would not be detected in doping tests. The FDA banned the sale of THG in 2003, saying it was not a supplement but an unapproved drug, which makes any sale or use of it illegal.

Clenbuterol
Clenbuterol (Clen) is a selective beta-2 agonist/antagonist and a bronchodilator sometimes prescribed for obstructive pulmonary disease. Like anabolic steroids, it can increase lean muscle mass, but it also has potentially serious side effects.

DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is a natural steroid prohormone that's produced by the adrenal glands. The body then converts DHEA to male and female sex hormones (estrogen and testosterone). DHEA supplements have been marketed as anti-aging supplements but research on this is limited at this time. DHEA supplements were taken off the U.S. market in 1985 and made available only by prescription. DHEA was then reintroduced as a nutritional supplement in 1994 after the passing of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. DHEA is still considered a banned substance by many sports organizations and athletes are cautioned about its use.

Other Banned Steroids

Anabolic steroids are banned by all major sports bodies including the Olympics, the NBA, the NHL, and the NFL. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) maintains an extensive list of all banned performance-enhancing substances. Some include the following:
Oral Steroids

Anadrol (oxymetholone)

Oxandrin (oxandrolone)

Dianabol (methandrostenolone)

Winstrol (stanozolol)

Injectable Steroids

Deca-Durabolin (nandrolone decanoate)

Durabolin (nandrolone phenpropionate)

Depo-Testosterone (testosterone cypionate)

Equipoise (boldenone undecylenate)

Why Athletes Take Them

The widespread use of anabolic steroids among athletes is in the hopes of improving performance.

Although drug testing is widespread, new designer drugs are made specifically to avoid detection. However, technology continually evolves, blood and urine samples from years earlier are now being retested with new science and exposing athletes who used illegal substances in the past.

How They are Taken

Steroids are taken in either pill form or injections. The most common dosing is done in cycles of weeks or months, with a short break between. This is called "cycling." "Stacking" refers to the use of several different types of steroids at the same time. "Pyramiding," involves slowly increasing the number, the amount, or the frequency of steroids to reach a peak and then gradually tapering the amount and frequency of the drug.

Doses taken by steroid abusers are often 10 to 100 times higher than the what would be medically prescribed for legitimate use.

Health Risks

There are many health risks from the use and abuse of anabolic steroids, including the following.

Effects in Men

infertility

breast development

shrinking of the testicles

male-pattern baldness

severe acne and cysts

Effects in Women

Deeper voice

enlargement of the clitoris

excessive growth of body hair

male-pattern baldness

severe acne and cysts

Other Effects

delayed growth in adolescents

tendon rupture

increased LDL cholesterol

decreased HDL cholesterol

high blood pressure

heart attacks

enlargement of the heart's left ventricle

cancer

jaundice

fluid retention

HIV/AIDS

hepatitis

"roid rage" - rage and aggression

mania

delusions

Withdrawal

Athletes who use steroids can experience withdrawal symptoms when they quit. The symptoms include mood swings, depression, fatigue and irritability, loss of appetite, insomnia, and aggression. Depression can even lead to suicide attempts, if untreated.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Steroid Abuse and Addiction, August 2006.

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Drugs commonly referred to as steroids can be classified as anabolic (anabolic-androgenic) steroids or corticosteroids. Corticosteroids, such as cortisone or prednisone are drugs that doctors often prescribe to help control inflammation in the body. Corticosteroids are not the same as the anabolic steroids that are often linked with illegal use in sports.

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Altitude Training

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Climbing Everest: Patrick Hollingworth at TEDxPerth

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Training

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Usain Bolt vs. 116 years of Olympic sprinters

Based on the athletes' average speeds, if every Olympic medalist raced each other, Usain Bolt (the London version) would win, with a wide distribution of Olympians behind him. Below, where each sprinter would be when Bolt finishes his race.

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Usain Bolt vs. 116 years of Olympic sprinters Based on the athletes' average speeds, if every Olympic medalist raced each other, Usain Bolt (the London version) would win, with a wide distribution of Olympians behind him. Below, where each sprinter would be when Bolt finishes his race.

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Energy Systems/Lactate Threshold

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2008 UCI World Track Championships - Men's Sprint

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Action from the final of the Men's Sprint from Day 3 at the 2008 UCI World Track Championships from Manchester. For full on demand video coverage visit http://www.cycling.tv/extras/packages/uci of the Track World Championships plus UCI MTB, Cyclocross and Track World Cups.

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Growth Hormone

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Applied Physiology

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Cycling Ireland is advising against young cyclists taking caffeinated substances after two junior riders fell ill after ingesting them at a race in Cork last weekend.

The Irish Independent reports that the competitors, aged 14 and 16, fell ill after the race and one required hospital treatment.

"Caffeine is widely used by the majority of the adult population in various foods and drinks, along with being available in a wide range of sports gels, drinks, powders and in over the counter tablets or capsules," a statement on the CI website said.

"While it can be effective in enhancing sports performance in trained athletes at moderate doses, 'Caffeine Supplementation should not be used as an ergogenic aid in athletes under the age of 18' according to the Institute of Sport."

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It continued: "While there are a range of performance benefits for adult athletes across many sports in caffeine consumption, there are very serious concerns that are particularly relevant in relation to younger athletes, such as an increased heart rate, an alteration of fine motor control and over-arousal which can have a negative impact on race preparation, recovery and sleep."

Cycling Ireland also called on race promoters not to offer caffeine supplements to be offered as prizes in junior races.

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Governing body warns against junior cyclists using caffeine supplements following illnesses - Cycling Weekly

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Cycling Ireland is advising against young cyclists taking caffeinated substances after two junior riders fell ill after ingesting them at a race in Cork last weekend. The Irish Independent reports that the competitors, aged 14 and 16, fell ill after the race and one required hospital treatment.