AMPHETAMINE, SECOBARBITAL, AND ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE

Abstract
Fifteen college swimmers, in midseason condition, swam 360 time trials after receiving 100 mg. of secobarbital, 14 mg. of amphetamine, or placebo on different occasions. After each trial a swimmer estimated his performance time and gave a detailed evaluation of his performance. Secobarbital significantly impaired performance, and amphetamine significantly improved it. The subjective data showed that secobarbital produced distortion in judgment; after taking secobarbital the swimmers thought their performances were unusually good, whereas in fact they were unusually bad. The effects of amphetamine on judgment were not conclusive.