It may be surprising to parents that beyond the elite athletes of the world, if you’re a member of a national sport governing body in the United States, anti-doping rules apply to all members and that includes young athletes as well. So even though they may not think they’re going to be tested, there’s still anti-doping rules in place to protect the integrity of sport in the competitions that those athletes participate in.
It may be surprising for young athletes that are subject to anti-doping rules through their membership in national sport governing bodies, that specific medications like Adderall, Concerta, pain medications, such as oxycodone, as well as asthma medications, such as salbutamol or formoterol or salmeterol are prohibited in sport. So you really need to check ahead of time whether these medications are on the prohibited list and whether they’re prohibited at all times or prohibited only in competition.
If your child has legitimate medical condition, there’s ways to get permission to use those substances in sport. It’s called a therapeutic use exemption and you can go on USADA’s website to learn more about how to apply and whether you need a TUE. With parents, I think we all have a good idea of maybe what some substances that are prohibited in sport like steroids. But beyond that, I think he needed to think about other substances that may be in foods and supplements, may be used from medications that also can have adverse effects on a young athletes body. So a good example of that is stimulants. They can cause cardiac events and affect the way an athlete may perform.
Some unexpected substances and products that young athletes might be using that are of concern; one is in energy drinks energy drinks often contain caffeine and other stimulant-like substances that can cause adverse health effects if taken in large doses. Many of those drinks are actually serving sizes made for adults. So if a young athlete is drinking a whole can of an energy drink, they may be exposed to much higher levels than what’s intended for that particular product. Another example is some high-risk supplement categories that parents might not be aware of. So when we walk into say a supplement shop, some categories, things like muscle-building substances, weight loss supplements, those can actually contain prohibited substances or they’ve actually been shown to be contaminated, in some examples, with pharmaceuticals and it’s really buyer beware when it comes to those products. They’re not tested before they’re put on the market, which exposes to quality concerns and other issues that may arise if young athletes are using those products.
Cannabinoids, of course, are a pretty hot topic. They’re becoming more prevalent as recreational use substances in our society. With cannabinoids, we all used to think that cannabinoids were ingested through just smoking, but there’s a lot of new routes of administration that particularly young individuals and actually, really all individuals can be exposed to much higher doses of these substances. For example, if you’re vaping, or dabbing, or even consuming through food, you really don’t know how much you’re taking in. There’s been quite a bit of research done with regards to cannabinoid exposure and the young developing brain. I think in particular, parents need to be aware of. These aren’t just inert substances that the effects may wear off after a certain period of time and have no chronic or long lasting effects.
It’s been shown to have effects on the developing brain and our brain continues to grow even into our early twenties. So it’s really important that athletes are aware that if they use these substances on a regular basis, they could be impairing themselves throughout life. The great news is, is you USADA and True Sport have lots of great resources that parents can go to, which are user-friendly and easy to understand. A great example of that is globaldro.com. This is a resource that’s searchable on your mobile phone or online. You can go and search the brand name or ingredients of a medication to find out whether they’re permitted or prohibited in sport.
Ways that a parent can help an athlete make sure that they’re compliant with the rules is when an athlete goes to a doctor, make sure you let the doctor know that an athlete is competing in sport and they’re subject to anti-doping rules. So there may be an alternative medication that can be prescribed that’s not on the prohibited list, and just being aware of how your particular young athlete is using these medications and making sure that you understand the rules and you’re checking their resources, as well as a double check, as well as working together with other support personnel, like an athlete’s coach to make them aware that an athlete might have a medical condition are all good ways parents can make sure that they’re helping their young athletes compete clean.
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s Chief Science Officer, Dr. Matthew Fedoruk, discusses common products and medications that are surprisingly risky from a health and performance perspective, as well as how parents can work with doctors and coaches to ensure their young athlete competes clean and stays healthy.
Hi. I’m Trevon, Trey, Jennifer. Team USA wheelchair basketball player, paralympian, and true sport athlete. Today, I want to talk to you about goal setting. And there are three things that I would like you to know. First, successful athletes set goals and a planned roadmap. Second, goals should be written down, assessed over time, and changed if necessary. And third, goals need to be challenging in order to be worthwhile. As a freshmen at Edinboro University, I was a part of a team that made the national championship game. And at that time I recognized I was the low man on the totem pole, but I felt in my heart that I knew my dreams were so much bigger than winning a national title. I wanted to make Team USA. I knew what achieving my lofty goal was not going to be easy and that I would need to work hard every day.
So, as a reminder, I created a pyramid of goals that I kept right above my bed. This pyramid reminded me of the accomplishments that I was working towards and visually represented my need to create a solid foundation underneath me before reaching the top. In the bottom roll of my pyramid of goals I listed goals such as obtaining my bachelor’s degree, becoming a scholar athlete award recipient, and becoming an All-American. The middle row listed winning a national title and playing for a professional team. And at the top row, the most challenging of them all, I listed becoming a gold medalist for Team USA.
By understanding that there are smaller stepping stones to achieving my ultimate goal of being on Team USA, I was able to stay motivated and to stay focused on completing the smaller stepping stones fully before moving onto the next one. Now I’ll be the first to admit that not every goal that I listed on my pyramid was accomplished, but seeing my goals every day when I went to bed, I was able to push through the days that I felt like doing nothing in hopes of achieving the bigger picture. Remember, create a clear goal roadmap, assess your goals often, and continue to challenge yourself. I hope that you never stopped dreaming big or reaching for the stars. And I look forward to seeing where your roadmap takes you.
Hi, I’m Kara Winger, Olympic javelin thrower, and true sport athlete. Today I want to talk to you about body image and I have three things I’d like you to know. First, healthy thoughts often lead to healthier bodies. Second, there are varying body types and no one’s body is exactly like another. And third, true beauty goes deeper than the skin. As a multi-time Olympian, I’ve experienced a lot of variation and progression in my training. My coaches and I adapt to my training frequently, all with the goal of supporting my long-term success and health in the sport of javelin. I’m talking to you about body image today because sometimes even with the best of intentions and a common goal in mind, the changes you make to your training habits can prove to be detrimental if made for the wrong reasons. In the lead up to the 2012 Olympic trials, I was told in order to improve my performance on the field, I should try to become a leaner, skinnier version of myself.
So I changed my diet. I went along with what I was being told to do, even though I’d had great success at a slightly heavier weight and higher body fat percentage, and became much leaner than ever before. It seemed like a successful change at first, but I didn’t have nearly the results I’d had before. And I believe becoming leaner than my body naturally wanted to be was what caused my ACL to tear. In the end, it cost me heavily going into the 2012 London games. The takeaway for me, and hopefully for you, is that it’s important to know what works for you and your body and to not compare yourself to others. You should do your research and experiment with your diet to find what makes you feel the best, rather than focusing on what you look like. Today, if I feel like having a chocolate chip cookie, I have one, just not every day.
I’ve learned what a properly balanced meal for my body looks like and I recognize food as the fuel that keeps me throwing. I hydrate and allow myself time to recover. And I listen to and communicate with my body so that I can be the best version of myself. In the end, you are in control of how you see, treat, and respond to your body. We only get one and it’s amazing to discover how many things our bodies can do. Be a true sport athlete. Love who you are in this moment and get excited for all the places your body will take you.
Hi, I’m Izy Isaksen, Team USA, Modern Pentathlon, Olympian, US Army Sergeant, and True Sport Ambassador. Today, I want to talk to you about being a good sport. There are three things I’d like you to know. First, real winners act the same toward their opponent, whether they win or lose. Second, follow the rules and be a gracious winner and respectful loser. And third, sportsmanship reveals your true character.
I started competing in Modern Pentathlon eight years after my older sister and three-time Olympian, Margaux Isaksen, began competing. I soon realized that people often compared the two of us. I would overhear spectators and teammates asking, “Who’s the better athlete,” and “Who’s going to beat the other.” Instead of letting outside pressures create a negative experience for us, I chose to practice winning and losing with grace and respect. I know that it would have been easy to let our hyper competitive mindset affect our relationship, but instead we decided to support and cheer for each other, regardless of our own performance. My experience of competing against and being compared to my older sister, taught me to focus on how to perform at my best, rather than putting wasted energy into wishing for others to fail.
I believe that sportsmanship reveals true character. So, no matter what situation I encounter during competition, I know it’s important to always treat people with respect and be a good sport. Remember, be a fierce competitor, find grace in all your victories and losses. And I hope to see you out there.
Edwin Moses: You’re a coach. Maybe what you want is very simple, for everyone to just run in the right direction, score for their own team, to try and try again and again. Maybe you want your athletes to become all stars. You want them to earn trophies, medals, win titles. You want them to reach the highest height their sport allows. And wanting all of that, of course, that’s good. But as every great coach discovers, developing a great athlete means nurturing, nurturing the even greater person within. Truth is, you have even more influence than you know.
You have the ability to affect even deeper change, to take what’s in your hands and do something even more extraordinary. You can be both the coach who provides the skills needed to win the game and the coach who helps them learn and succeed beyond the sport, to become all stars wherever they land in the future, and to enjoy their lives more now, because the confidence and courage they find working with you will stay with them when they need it the most. There are games to be won, lives to change. Coaches have the power to do both.
I’m Edwin Moses, and the lessons I’ve learned through sport have challenged me, guided me, and shaped my life forever. What kind of coach do you want to be?
At first glance, dietary supplements look the same. They seem safe and healthy, but just because the label says a product is a dietary supplement, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Unfortunately, you can’t tell whether a product is safe or not just by looking at the label. Most vitamins, minerals, fish oil, and other supplements containing nutrients are probably just fine, but supplements are not evaluated or approved by FDA before they are sold. Although it is rare for vitamins or minerals to be contaminated with drugs, there has been at least one case of a vitamin containing an anabolic steroid.
At the other extreme are products that contain drugs, stimulants, anabolic steroids, or other hormones. Even though these are not technically dietary supplements, many of them are labeled as supplements. For example, body-building products sometimes contain anabolic steroids or Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, known as SARMs, or other hormones. Some pre-workout or energy products contain illegal stimulants like DMAA, ephedra, or other amphetamine-like stimulants. Weight loss products might contain prescription drugs like sibutramine, or hormones, like human chorionic gonadotropin, also known as hCG. All natural or herbal sexual enhancement products might contain hormones or Viagra-like drugs. Products like these can harm your health and career, but they’re for sale online, in some nutrition stores, and they’re labeled as dietary supplements.
When you pick up a supplement, especially one that promises performance enhancement, you don’t know if it belongs in the “Mostly O.K.” pile or in the “Dangerous” pile. After all, two products might look the same, but one might contain just amino acids and other legitimate ingredients, while the other also contains anabolic steroids. Because of this, FDA has issued a warning about certain categories of supplements: body building products, weight loss products, and sexual enhancement products. Be extremely careful when considering a supplement in one of these categories. We strongly recommend that you avoid products in these categories.
Even when FDA tests supplements and finds dangerous ingredients, companies sometimes refuse to recall them. Sometimes, they simply repackage their product and continue selling it under a new name. Just because a product is on a store shelf doesn’t mean it is safe. You need to do your research and be an informed consumer. The dietary supplement industry is enormous. Supplements that appear to be safe could actually be dangerous products in disguise. If you use dietary supplements without doing your research, you may be taking serious risks with your health and your career. Please visit USADA’s Supplement 411 for more information about dietary supplements.
