Sports Doping and Health Impacts

This assignment delves into the detrimental health effects associated with doping in sports. It examines various substances like anabolic steroids, growth hormones, and stimulants, analyzing their impact on athletes' physical well-being, including cardiovascular system complications, hormonal disruptions, and potential for mental health issues. The assignment also explores the ethical and social ramifications of doping in competitive environments.

Running head: PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS
PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS
Name of the University:
Name of the Student:
Author Note:

2PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS
Performance enhancing drugs are the drugs that are used by athletes in improving sports
performances. Any substance that benefits performance of a sport by increasing strength,
endurance, speed, power or altering body weight can be considered as a PED (Pope et al., 2013).
Substances that cause improvement in performance by altering arousal level, behavior or pain
perception can also be considered as PEDs as well (Vrecko, 2013). Substances that can be
included under PEDS are-
 Pharmacologic agents when taken in doses more than the prescribed dose.
 Substances used to influence weight control or weight gain.
 Substances or strategies used to increase the oxygen-intake capacity of the body.
 Substances used for any other reason than for curing a specific disease
 Substances used to mask the effects of other PEDs
 Doses of Natural supplements taken higher than the required amount.
PEDs are usually taken by athletes to gain an added advantage over contenders, however,
they are also used by weightlifters who are nonathletes and just want to improve their appearance
by enhancing muscle growth. The act of taking PEDs in sports is commonly known as “Doping”
(Morente-Sánchez & Zabala, 2013)
The various kinds of PEDs include-
 Anabolic steroids
 Androstenedione
 Human Growth Hormone
 Diuretics
 Creatine
 Stimulants

3PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS
These PEDs are used for added advantage but these have high-risk factors associated with them,
the physiological and psychological advantages and risks are discussed in the following essay.
Anabolic steroids-
These are the most commonly known PED. Athletes usually take two different forms of
steroids, anabolic steroids or anabolic-androgen steroids. Testosterone is the main anabolic
hormone that is produced by the human body which effects muscle buildup and male traits of an
individual. Synthetically modified versions of testosterone are known as anabolic steroids. These
drugs help in achieving a more muscular body and in recovering faster from a heavy workout.
These hormones have a number of medical uses, however, improving performance in sports is
not one of them (Abbate et al., 2015). A very dangerous class of anabolic steroids called designer
steroids exist which have been created in such a way that they can go undetectable during drug
tests. However, these drugs are neither tested nor approved by FDA and are a major threat to the
health of the athletes.
The various physiological risks associated with these PEDS are-
 Men develop prominent breasts and suffer from baldness, shrunken testicles, infertility
(Fronczak & Barqawi, 2012), impotence, enlargement of the prostate.
 Women develop a deeper voice, an enlarged clitoris, excess body hair, baldness,
infrequent periods.
 Individuals can suffer from increased risks of tendonitis.
 The risk of developing severe acne is increased (Williams, Dellavalle & Garner, 2012).
 The drugs can cause an increase in LDL cholesterol and a decrease in HDL cholesterol.

4PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS
 Risk of developing a high blood pressure and various heart complications are high
(Angell et al., 2012)
 Individuals would run higher risks of getting infected with diseases like HIV or Hepatitis
if they practice injecting the drugs into the blood flow
 Teenagers using these substances may suffer from growth and developmental issues.
The psychological risks associated with the use of steroids include-
 An individual has a higher tendency towards drug dependence (Lindqvist et al., 2013)
 Individuals run a higher risk of developing mood disorders.
 Individuals can become very aggressive and violent.
Therefore, steroids do provide short-term achievements while damaging the health in a long run.
Androstenedione-
The adrenal glands and the gonads of both men and women produce a hormone called
Androstenedione, which is converted into testosterone and estradiol. The drug Androstenedione
is only available legally in the prescription form. These too help individuals to train harder and
grow muscles faster, but it’s usage as a PED is illegal in the united states.
The physiological risks associated with use of this drug include-
 Severe acne (Williams, Dellavalle & Garner, 2012).
 Reduced production of sperm (Fronczak & Barqawi, 2012).
 Prominent breasts in men
 Masculinization of women
 Baldness
 Reduction of good cholesterol or HDL in the bloodstream.

5PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS
The major psychological risk that can be associated with the use of this drug is that
individuals may suffer from depression or depressive episodes might worsen in case of people
already suffering from depression. However, there are no scientific bases that suggest that
Androstenedione supplements depressive symptoms.
Human Growth Hormone-
Gonadotropin hormones are also known as Human Growth Hormone and these have
anabolic effects on individuals. Athletes take these hormones externally to grow muscles faster
and to improve their performance (Baumann, 2012). These hormones are available by
prescription only and are in need to be injected into the bloodstream of the users.
Physiological risks associated with HGH are –
 Muscle weakness and joint pains.
 Fluid retention issues.
 Various visual issues.
 Risk of suffering from Carpal tunnel syndrome.
 Glucose regulation can get impaired.
 Cardiomegaly or enlargement of the heart may take place.
 Individuals might suffer from Hyperlipidemia or high cholesterol, Diabetes and High
Blood Pressure.
Psychological risks associated with HGH-
Unregulated usage pg HGH can have detrimental effects on mental health of individuals.
The hormonal imbalances caused due to HGH usage can lead to psychological issues like
Psychosis where individuals might suffer from delusions, hallucinations, and paranoia
(Kanayama & Pope Jr 2012).

6PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS
Erythropoietin-
The Erythropoietin hormone is used to treat anemia in individuals with acute kidney
disorders as it helps in increasing the production of RBCs and Hemoglobin in the body. This
helps in improved oxygen movement to the muscles. The synthetic version of this hormone is
known as Epoetin and is used frequently by athletes to improve their endurance for a strenuous
workout (Osborn et al., 2013)
Physical risks involved with inappropriate use of erythropoietin are-
 Increased risk of stroke
 Heart attacks
 Pulmonary embolism.
The 1990s had a surge in usage of this hormone by cyclists which ended up contributing to a
minimum of eighteen deaths (Osborn et al., 2013).
However, recent research shows that Epoetin, when injected in animals, increases their
motivation level drastically and is believed that if used in proper doses can help individuals with
depression. This, however, is still under scientific research.
Diuretics-
These are certain kinds of drugs that alter the natural fluid and salt balance of the body. This, in
turn, makes the body dehydrated; thereby reducing the overall body weight and helping the
athletes compete in the class of lighter weighted individuals. This, therefore, increases their
chances of winning. These drugs also have another interesting advantage; they can be used as
masking agents by athletes to pass the drug tests as the urine is diluted due to getting rid of
excess water from the body (Franchini, Brito & Artioli, 2012).

7PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS
The physiological risks may include dehydration, muscle cramps, potassium deficiency, rashes,
low blood pressure, loss of body balance and coordination, gout, dizziness, excessive weight
loss, irregularity in heartbeats (arrhythmia) hypovolemia and orthostatic hypotension. Over
intake can also prove to be fatal. A major psychological issue associated with diuretics is
addiction.
Creatine-
Creatine is a compound which is produced naturally by human bodies that help the muscles in
releasing energy. Research suggests that Creatine can provide benefit to the athletes by
producing short-term power boosts, which in turn may help in short-term gains. However, this is
not scientifically proven yet. Creatine supplements are available in the market as powders or pills
(Deminice et al., 2013) According to FDA supplement are considered under the food category
and they are not considered as drugs
Physiological risks include-
 Weight gain that is the result of excessive water retention and not due to gaining muscle
mass. Creatine causes the water to be drawn by the muscles, leading to dehydration of the
body.
 Stomach cramps.
 Muscular cramps.
 Damage is caused to the kidneys and liver.
It is considered safe for adults to intake recommended doses of Creatine however, there is no
evidence of its long-term risks or benefits yet (Deminice et al., 2013).
Stimulants-

8PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS
Stimulants commonly include amphetamines and caffeine and are used by some athletes for
stimulating the central nervous system to increase the blood pressure and heart rate (Lakhan, &
Kirchgessner, 2012). Energy drinks are very common among athletes and these contain high
doses of caffeine.
Physiological risks associated with stimulants include-
 Irritability and nervousness which makes it hard for the athletes to focus on the game.
 Dehydration
 Heatstroke
 Arrhythmia
 Excessive weight loss
 Hypertension.
 Tremors
The major psychological risk associated with intake of stimulants is addiction. Also sometimes
athletes can develop a tolerance for high doses of stimulants and therefore attempt at taking even
higher doses.
Therefore, it can be concluded that performance-enhancing drugs help athletes achieve short-
term goals while causing long-term health issues. Firstly, the benefits of doping do not have hard
evidence. Secondly, most sports organization prohibits doping as it provides undue advantages
over other athletes. Thirdly, usage of PEDs can be extremely detrimental to health. Therefore,
Usage of PEDs can be risky both in terms of health as well as in terms of career,

9PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS
Reference-
Abbate, V., Kicman, A. T., Evans‐Brown, M., McVeigh, J., Cowan, D. A., Wilson, C., ... &
Walker, C. J. (2015). Anabolic steroids detected in bodybuilding dietary supplements–a
significant risk to public health. Drug testing and analysis, 7(7), 609-618.
Angell, P., Chester, N., Green, D., Somauroo, J., Whyte, G., & George, K. (2012). Anabolic
steroids and cardiovascular risk. Sports medicine, 42(2), 119-134.
Baumann, G. P. (2012). Growth hormone doping in sports: a critical review of use and detection
strategies. Endocrine reviews, 33(2), 155-186.
Deminice, R., Rosa, F. T., Franco, G. S., Jordao, A. A., & de Freitas, E. C. (2013). Effects of
creatine supplementation on oxidative stress and inflammatory markers after repeated-
sprint exercise in humans. Nutrition, 29(9), 1127-1132.
Franchini, E., Brito, C. J., & Artioli, G. G. (2012). Weight loss in combat sports: physiological,
psychological and performance effects. Journal of the international society of sports
nutrition, 9(1), 52.
Fronczak, C. M., Kim, E. D., & Barqawi, A. B. (2012). The insults of illicit drug use on male
fertility. Journal of andrology, 33(4), 515-528.
Kanayama, G., & Pope Jr, H. G. (2012). Illicit use of androgens and other hormones: recent
advances. Current opinion in endocrinology, diabetes, and obesity, 19(3), 211.
Lakhan, S. E., & Kirchgessner, A. (2012). Prescription stimulants in individuals with and
without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: misuse, cognitive impact, and adverse
effects. Brain and behavior, 2(5), 661-677.
Lindqvist, A. S., Moberg, T., Eriksson, B. O., Ehrnborg, C., Rosén, T., & Fahlke, C. (2013). A
retrospective 30-year follow-up study of former Swedish-elite male athletes in power

10PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS
sports with a past anabolic androgenic steroids use: a focus on mental health. Br J Sports
Med, bjsports-2012.
Morente-Sánchez, J., & Zabala, M. (2013). Doping in sport: a review of elite athletes’ attitudes,
beliefs, and knowledge. Sports Medicine, 43(6), 395-411.
Osborn, M., Rustom, N., Clarke, M., Litteljohn, D., Rudyk, C., Anisman, H., & Hayley, S.
(2013). Antidepressant-like effects of erythropoietin: a focus on behavioural and
hippocampal processes. PLoS One, 8(9), e72813.
Pope Jr, H. G., Wood, R. I., Rogol, A., Nyberg, F., Bowers, L., & Bhasin, S. (2013). Adverse
health consequences of performance-enhancing drugs: an Endocrine Society scientific
statement. Endocrine reviews, 35(3), 341-375.
Vrecko, S. (2013). Just how cognitive is “cognitive enhancement”? On the significance of
emotions in university students’ experiences with study drugs. AJOB neuroscience, 4(1),
4-12.
Williams, H. C., Dellavalle, R. P., & Garner, S. (2012). Acne vulgaris. The Lancet, 379(9813),
361-372.