Health Risks With
Performance Enhancing Drugs
Performance enhancing drugs are commonly used by athletes looking to gain a competitive edge. While being illegal and banned by athletic organizations, these drugs are still part of the athletic world. However, performance enhancing drugs can cause serious health risks.
Steroids
The most common performance enhancers used are steroids. The steroids used by athletes are synthetic modifications of testosterone. Testosterone is produced naturally in the body. It is responsible, among other things, for building muscle. Besides their ability to promote muscle growth, steroids help the user recover quickly from a workout. They accomplish this by limiting the damage done to the muscle during the session.
Steroids are used for medical purposes, but are not authorized for use as a performance enhancer as they have many negative side effects. Men taking steroids can develop breasts, baldness, shrunken testicles and infertility. Women may experience a deeper voice, increased body hair and baldness. Steroid use can also bring about increased cholesterol, aggressive behavior, psychiatric disorders, inhibited growth and development, and liver abnormalities and tumors in both men and women.
Diuretics
Diuretics are drugs used to decrease an athlete's weight. Diuretics affect the body's fluid balance, leading to dehydration. Some athletes may see weight loss as being beneficial. Diuretics can also be used to help dilute the urine in order to pass a drug test.
Diuretics taken at a high dose can cause serious health problems. Some of these include dehydration, heart arrhythmias, potassium deficiency, muscle cramps and decreased blood pressure.
Stimulants
Stimulants such as amphetamines and caffeine stimulate the nervous system and increase heart rate, thus heightening alertness and aggressiveness and reducing fatigue.
Stimulants however can actually hurt an athlete's performance by causing nervousness, irritability and insomnia. Additionally, stimulants can cause heart palpitations, hypertension and other circulatory problems.
Androstenedione
Androstenedione is a hormone produced by the body which is normally converted into testosterone. The effect of androstenedione is under debate, as some studies claim that it does not increase testosterone in the body. However, even though its use as a performance enhancer is illegal, it can still be sold as a nutritional supplement.
Side effects of androstenedione are similar to steroids. In men, it can cause shrinking of the testicles, enlargement of the breasts, as well as decreased sperm production. In women, it can lead to deepening of the voice and baldness. Additionally, androstenedione can put both men and women at risk for heart attacks.
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