A2 Biology Topic 7

Performance enhancing drugs

Banned substances and

practices
Anabolic steroids

Stimulants

Hormone agonist

Hormones and releasing factors Diuretics

Beta-2 agonists

Narcotics

Beta blockers

Blood doping

Gene doping

Is it an infringement of athletes human rights to be required to give blood and

Page reference: 178-179 Edexcel A2 Biology (concep

Steroid hormones
Pass through the plasma membrane and stimulate
protein synthesis

Steroid
hormones

Other steroid
molecules

Mechanism of action of steroid

hormones:
steroid hormone

cell surface membrane

Hormone
enters cell and
binds with
receptor
Complex binds to
DNA and acts as a
transcription factor

receptor

nuclear
membrane

enters
nucleus

hormone-receptor
complex

Switches on a
gene for synthesis
of a protein

Testosterone
Stimulates protein
synthesis
Results in bigger and
stronger muscles

Anabolic steroids
Natural testosterone is
quickly broken down.

testosterone

Testosterone is modified
to produce drugs that
remain for longer in the
body
nandrolone

These synthetic anabolic

steroids are illegal.

Side-effects of using anabolic

steroids
Infertility due to disruption of normal
hormone production:
- disrupted menstrual cycle
- reduced sperm production
-impotence
In addition:
- liver damage
- high blood pressure
- heart attacks
- increased aggression
21 year old body builder: A and B
Severe acne conglobata C After 8
weeks off steroids and with

Peptide hormones
Peptide hormones do
not enter the cell.
They bind to
receptors on the cell
surface membrane.
They also act to
switch genes on or
off.
Human erythropoietin

Mechanism of action of peptide

hormones:
peptide hormone
receptor

cell surface membra

Inactive
secondary
messenger eg.
cAMP

Secondary
messenger
activated: initiates
a protein kinase
cascade

rs
e
t
en

us
e
l
uc

acts as a
transcription
factor which
switches on gene
for a specific
protein

Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin is synthesised in
the kidneys
Causes the synthesis of
enzymes required for synthesis
of red blood cells (erythrocytes)
in bone marrow.
Useful for treating anaemia.

Use of erythropoeitin
Increases number of blood
cells and therefore enhances
oxygen supply to muscles.
Improvement of 10% in
aerobic performance
Use is popular with endurance
athletes and cyclists

Side-effects of overuse of
erythropoietin
Excess of red blood cells
can lead to strokes and
heart attacks .
Attacks most common at
night due to low heart rate.
Thought to have caused
the unexpected deaths of
18 european cyclists
between 1987 -1991 .
Abuse difficult to prove as
it is naturally occurring.

Ethics of performanceenhancing drugs

Problems with deciding on what is illegal:

Ethical questions:

Creatine is not banned:

Classed as a nutritional supplement
Can cause kidney damage and high blood
pressure

Is everything
acceptable in the
pursuit of sporting
excellence?

Erythropoietin is banned:
Is a naturally occurring hormone
Can cause strokes and heart attacks

Isnt it the choice of

the athlete to risk
using drugs or not?

Blood doping banned:

Donating, storing and transfusing own blood
before
competition

Do use of
performanceenhancing drugs
improve or ruin
competition?
High altitude training not banned:
Are there
Increases number of red blood cells.
circumstances when
Caused by natural increase in erythropoietin production.
drug use is
acceptable?

Essay
Read pages 182 183 (of concept approach
textbook) and answer question 2 on page 183:
Describe an absolutist and a relativist ethical
position on the proposal to set a maximum total red
blood cell count for athlete rather than measure
erythropoietin levels.