GMCH Chandigarh - 2022: Sports person enhance mental and physical capabilities by taking?

GMCH Chandigarh - 2022

Pharmacology

Medium

Appeared in: GMCH Chandigarh - 2022

Explanation

Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that enhances both mental and physical performance.
Mentally, it increases alertness, improves concentration, and shortens reaction time by acting as an antagonist at adenosine receptors.
Physically, it has been shown to increase muscle power, improve endurance, and reduce the perception of fatigue during exercise.
It is a commonly used, legal (within limits) ergogenic aid in many sports.

Option A: Anabolic steroids primarily enhance physical capabilities by increasing muscle mass and strength. They do not improve mental alertness or focus for athletic performance and are associated with severe health risks and are banned by most sports organizations.
Option C: Whisky contains alcohol, which is a central nervous system depressant. It impairs coordination, slows reaction time, reduces judgment, and can lead to dehydration, all of which are detrimental to both mental and physical athletic performance.
Option D: High caloric food provides the body with energy (fuel) in the form of calories, which is essential for sustaining long periods of physical activity. However, it does not provide an acute enhancement of mental capabilities like alertness or focus in the way a stimulant does.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Ergogenic aids for enhancing athletic performance as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses often encounter athletes in various settings and may be asked for advice on supplements and performance enhancers. It is vital to provide evidence-based guidance on the risks and benefits.
Educating young athletes and their parents about the dangers of banned substances like anabolic steroids and the potential side effects of even legal aids like caffeine is a key nursing role in community health.
What if the athlete has a cardiac condition? In that case, caffeine would be contraindicated. Its stimulant effects (tachycardia, potential for arrhythmias) could be dangerous, and the nurse's advice would be to avoid it completely.

How to Approach the Question

First, analyze the question's core requirement: a substance that enhances both mental and physical capabilities.
Evaluate each option against this dual requirement.
Option A (Anabolic steroids): Primarily physical (muscle). Eliminate.
Option B (Caffeine): Known stimulant. Plausible for both mental (alertness) and physical (endurance). Keep as a strong candidate.
Option C (Whisky): Alcohol is a depressant. It impairs, not enhances. Eliminate.
Option D (High caloric food): Provides energy (physical fuel) but doesn't directly boost mental capabilities like focus. It's a prerequisite for performance, not an acute enhancer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 2 p. 2135-2137

E6 Physiology Guyton 4SAE Part 1 p. 162-164