Quick questions on Drugs in sport: performance-enhancing drugs and anti-doping: HSC PDHPE Improving Performance

7short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.

What is human growth hormone (hGH)?

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A peptide hormone that stimulates growth, muscle development, and recovery. Synthesised forms are used both medically (in growth hormone deficiency) and as PEDs.

What is sport Integrity Australia (SIA)?

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Established 2020 by merging ASADA (the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority), the National Integrity of Sport Unit, and Sport Integrity Hotline. SIA covers anti-doping, match-fixing, sport-related corruption, and athlete welfare.

What is testing?

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Elite athletes provide whereabouts information so they can be located for unannounced testing.

What is education?

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Sport Integrity Australia, AIS, and most major sports run mandatory anti-doping education for athletes, coaches, and support staff. School and junior athletes are increasingly targeted as PED awareness rises.

What are effects?

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Increased muscle mass, strength, recovery from training, aggressiveness.

What are side effects?

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Cardiovascular damage (left ventricular hypertrophy, hypertension, increased cardiac event risk), liver damage (oral forms), hormonal disruption (testicular atrophy in men, masculinisation in women), psychological effects (mood swings, aggression, dependence).

What are use patterns?

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Concentrated in strength and power sports historically. Significant use in recreational gym contexts in Australia (the AIHW estimates around 2-3% of Australian gym-goers have used anabolic steroids non-medically).

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