The Navy SEAL Physical Fitness Guide - Uniformed Services ...

Chapter 13Harmful Substancesthat AffectPerformanceSEALs and other elite athletes are always lookingfor ways to improve their physical performance and gain a competitive edge to enhancetheir success in missions or competition. Often there is a temptation to seek other ways ofincreasing your capabilities, including trying various ergogenic agents or chemicalsubstances, either natural or man-made, that promise to give an edge. This chapter reviewssome of those chemicals that may give you a temporary edge, but the minor improvementsyou might see in the short-term can be harmful in the long-term. The goal of this chapter isto inform you of the detrimental effects and the legal consequences of using chemicals asperformance enhancers. This chapter is not intended to support or promote the use of thesechemicals for improving your performance.Anabolic/AndrogenicSteroidsAnabolic/Androgenic steroids, hereafter referred to as AAS, have been used byathletes to improve performance for more than 30 years. The non-medical use of AAS iswidespread among athletes engaged in power sports such as power-lifting, bodybuilding,football and rugby. Their popularity stems from their perceived contribution to increasemuscle bulk and strength and to improve competitiveness. There are more than one millionestimated users of AAS in the United States alone. Approximately 2% of athletes betweenthe ages of 10 and 14, and 5% to 10% of high school athletes have used AAS, even thoughtheir use is prohibited. In addition, approximately 5% of college athletes currently useAAS. Because of legal and administrative issues it is difficult to estimate the number ofOlympic and professional athletes currently using the drugs. However, a number ofOlympic Gold Medalists have had their medals withdrawn for using such substances. TheThe Navy SEAL Physical Fitness Guide 221