Alcohol is used as a performance-enhancing substance in sports where nervousness can lead to a drop in performance. Photo: iStock.com/mishooo
Definition by the German Association of Sports Medicine from 1983
According to the definition by the German Association of Sports Medicine from 1983, the term ‘substitution’ refers to the following measures:
Replacement of substances that are absolutely essential for the body
The supply of substances required for energy and anabolic metabolism
The supply of substances that cannot be synthesised by the body and whose insufficient intake impairs
performance. These include:
Active substances such as vitamins, electrolytes (Na, K, Mg, etc.), trace elements (Fe, Cu, etc.)
Nutrients or energy-providing substances such as carbohydrates, fats and protein. Under certain circumstances, dietary intake alone may not be sufficient to meet requirements. Their substitution – in the form of concentrated nutrition or specialised preparations – is permitted.
The intake of substances that can be synthesised by a healthy body itself (e.g. testosterone, cortisol, growth hormone) contradicts the medical understanding of the term ‘replacement’.
Should these substances synthesised by the body prove insufficient for peak sporting performance, this natural barrier must be respected as the limit of individual performance capacity.
