O uso de recursos ergogênicos farmacológicos por praticantes de musculação das academias de Santa Maria, RS

Abstract

Sports Medicine refers to pharmacological ergogenic resources as substances used to improve performance artificially. The use of medications by strength training practitioners, characterized as doping, is worrying, since it is greater. The purpose of this study was to verify how the use of pharmacological ergogenic aids occurs, by strength training practitioners at Santa Maria’s Gyms. The proportional stratified sample was constituted of 236 individuals chosen casually, of both sexes, from the Gyms registered at the Probation Department of the Sports end Physical Education Center/Federal University of Santa Maria. The instrument used was a questionnaire, validated before that, with 22 questions about the use of pharmacological ergogenic aids, type mostly used, age, scholar level, salary, training methodology adopted, orientation, purpose of use, adverse effects and biochemical control. The data was analyzed by percentages, means and standard deviation. The mean age of the sample was 24,4 ± 7,04, and men composed the greatest part (77,12%) of the interviewed, with incomplete graduation level (36,44%) and without salary (56,36%). The interviewed practiced strength training during less than a year (46,19%), 5 days a week (27,97%), divided their routine into A and B (49,15%) and always included flexibility work in their session (72,88%). The majority of the interviewed wanted muscular hypertrophy (50%), and muscular definition (48,73%) and chose strength training with the goal of health promotion (58,90%) and esthetics (58,05%). The results indicated that a medium consumption of ergogenic aids (n=10; 4,24%). Deca-Durabolin (60%), Durateston (50%) and Hemogenim (40%) were the most mentioned substances, motivated by the performance improvement (60%) and body weight increments (50%), 50% used it by their own will and 30% by indication of the Gym Teacher. The acquisition of these substances occurred in pharmacies (50%) and with the Gym Teachers (20%). The majority of the users administered the substance by injection (50%) and orally (50%) every day (40%). Even though 80% of the interviewed that used ergogenic aids knew about the possible adverse effects, only 10% had biochemical control of the hormonal alterations. The collateral effects mentioned were irritation (50%), euphoria and aggressiveness (40%); the mean month expenses in the acquisition of the pharmacological ergogenic aids was of R$ 236,50 ± 168,05. The results allow us to conclude that some strength-training practitioners at Santa Maria’s Gyms consume pharmacological ergogenic aids, especially Androgenic Anabolic Steroids.