Impact of Medically Supervised Performance-Enhancing Substances (PES) on Elite Athletes

Summary

Objectives: The primary objective is to assess the safety and tolerability of medical drugs with the potential to enhance performance (PES) in professional athletes over a 5.5 year period, encompassing a 25-week PES Exposure period and 5 year long term follow-up of period comprehensive health and safety monitoring. The secondary objective is to evaluate the impact of PES on athletic performance through validated sport specific and clinical assessments. Methods: This prospective hybrid design study will enrol 60 adult participants, divided into two groups. The first group will receive performance-enhancing substances (PES) directly through the study, administered as Investigational Medicinal Products (IMPs) under comprehensive medical supervision for up to 25 weeks. The second group will include natural athletes and those already using PES prescribed by their own doctors. All substances used in this study are medically approved by national regulatory agencies (e.g., FDA, MHRA, EMA, EDE, etc.), and market authorised. Participants undergo enrollment and baseline health and performance assessments, prior to a 25 weeks of PES exposure. During the period of PES exposure, participants undergo periodic monitoring of comprehensive physiological biomarkers alongside subjective assessments. Following the PES exposure phase, participants will complete repeat baseline health and performance assessments, followed by a titration phase and, where indicated, post-cycle therapy (PCT) to support the restoration of physiological function toward baseline. The study will conclude with a five-year longitudinal follow-up period to monitor long-term health outcomes. During this phase, participants will undergo annual assessments, including cardiac electrocardiography (ECG), echocardiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), blood and urine biomarkers, routine vital signs, and quality-of-life measures. Additional imaging will include brain functional MRI (fMRI) and vital organ ultrasound at years 1, 3, and 5, with cardiac CT performed as clinically indicated. Athlete safety biomarker assessments, clinical evaluations, and adverse event reporting, will be continuously evaluated by study doctors and with additional safety oversight from a Data Safety Monitoring Board, Independent Medical Commission (a multidisciplinary panel of medical experts), and a Medical Monitor.

Timeline

Start

2026-03-12

Primary completion

2028-05-01

Completion

2033-03-01

Drugs

Indications

No indication recorded.