Performance Enhancing Drug Effects
Some athletes use performance enhancing drugs to improve their performance in sports. Most sports have banned the use of performance enhancers. Their use can lead to short- and long-term detrimental side effects.
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Identification
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The Mayo Clinic lists three categories of performance enhancing drugs that athletes use: anabolic-androgenic steroids (derivatives of testosterone); prescription diuretics (such as Lasix); and stimulants (such as caffeine or amphetamines). They also include the prohormone androstenedione, which has effects similar to steroids, and the legal sports supplement creatine.
Legality
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Under federal law, it is illegal to possess, distribute or sell anabolic steroids and narcotic-based stimulants without a prescription. The governing bodies of most major sports, the NCAA and the International Olympic Committee prohibit their athletes from taking performance enhancing drugs whether legal or illegal. Athletes can receive a suspension, monetary penalties, or lifetime ban if caught using these drugs.
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Steroid Effects
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The Mayo Clinic points out that the anabolic (tissue-building) properties of steroids can enhance performance by rebuilding muscle quickly after heavy training sessions, or by increasing strength and lean muscle mass, decreasing body fat and improving bone density. Certain steroids, including Winstrol, Boldenone and the hormone erythropoietin, increase red blood cell counts. This enables the blood to carry more oxygen, letting endurance athletes train longer at higher intensities.
Stimulant Effects
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Athletes use caffeine and amphetamine-based stimulants to increase their reflexes, enhance motor coordination, improve alertness and concentration, and diminish the effects of fatigue.
Diuretic Effects
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The Mayo Clinic reports that athletes in weight classes use diuretics to drop pounds by shedding excess water weight before competition. Diuretics can also help athletes pass (via urination) the metabolites of other performance enhancing drugs, which testing might otherwise detect.
Creatine Effects
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Athletes take excess quantities of the naturally occurring enzyme creatine to increase their energy levels during training and competition. Creatine acts inside muscle tissue to quickly produce adenosine triphosphate, which muscle cells use as energy. The Mayo Clinic reports that this extra energy can delay the onset of fatigue and deliver gains in short-term explosiveness during sprinting or weightlifting.
Dangers
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Drugs.com reports that individuals with a history of prostate, heart, breast, or liver disease, or individuals taking anticoagulants, blood thinners or insulin should not take steroids. Pregnant women should not take steroids because they are known to cause birth defects. Individuals taking steroids might suffer a number of side effects that range from the potentially fatal liver condition peliosis hepatitis, to cardiac arrest, arteriosclerosis or congestive heart failure. Steroids also cause masculinization (deepening voice, facial and body hair growth), erectile dysfunction, interrupted menstrual cycles, gynecomastia (male breasts) and altered libido.
Individuals with a history of lupus, gout, or liver or kidney disease should avoid diuretics, and anyone taking anti-inflammatories or corticosteroids should not use diuretics or creatine, as these will place extra stress on the kidneys. Diuretic use can lead to kidney or liver disease, irregular heartbeat, chest pain, cramps, hives, labored breathing, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and jaundice.
Amphetamine use is contraindicated for patients with prior heart disease, glaucoma, hyperthyroidism or hypertension, and should not be taken by patients using monoamine oxidase inhibitors, certain anti-depressants or thyroid hormones. Amphetamine users might experience depression, chest pain, twitching, anxiety, nervousness, irregular heartbeat and hypertension.
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