THE USE AND EFFECT OF ERGOGENIC AIDS ON ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE AS PERCEIVED BY UNIVERSITY OF BENIN ATHLETES

ABSTRACT

The use of banned and illegal ergogenic aids to enhance performance by undergraduate athletes is currently a social problem. This can be said to be due to their perception towards the usage of ergogenic aids. This study therefore aims to investigate the use and effect of ergogenic aids on athletics performance as perceived by University of Benin Athletes. Om order to carry out the task, four (4) research questions were utilized. The descriptive survey design was used for this study. The population consist of student athletes in the University of Benin (UNIBEN) which is estimated to be 243. A total of one hundred (100) respondents who are student athletes of University of Benin were purposively selected for this study

The research Instrument used for this study was a questionnaire. The validity of the instrument was subjected to scrutiny and the test re-test reliability technique was used to ascertain its reliability. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentages and tables. Result revealed that some of the student athletes in University of Benin are engaged in the use of ergogenic aids. The findings of this study revealed that some of these student athletes make use of ergogenic aids seasonally and occasionally. Further findings also showed that there are effects of the use of ergogenic aids on athletics performance with effects based on gender.

In conclusion, some of these athletes subject themselves to ergogenic aids based on the quest for improving sport performance as sport has a competitive nature of sports. Recommendations were made that it is important to remember and keep to mind that, irrespective of the perceived effect of the use of ergogenic aids on sport performance, there are lots of societal and health complications that are associated with use of these ergogenic aids.It is also important that the athletes in the study area be educated about the health effects of the use of ergogenic aids and all the natural means that could serve as alternatives to the use of ergogenic aids.