Performance enhancing drugs in sports

Introduction

In the sports world, "steroids" got used as a common term for anabolic-androgenic steroids. They are synthetic substances that imitate naturally occurring male sex hormones, such as testosterone. Steroids can be used to foster muscle growth and the development of male sexual characteristics (e.g., body hair) in men and women alike. Many athletes, in a wide range of sports, use steroids to increase their strength and endurance and gain an advantage over rivals. However, in the c case of sportsmen, some observers contend that steroids do not, in fact, have a major impact on players' performance levels (Savulescu, & Foddy, & Clayton, 2004, 666-670).

Steroids got first developed in the 1930s, usually to treat hypogonadism, a medical condition in which the body produces insufficient natural testosterone for normal sexual functioning and body development. Today, steroids are also given to cancer patients and used to treat HIV infections, along with other debilitating conditions.) After laboratory tests reveal that steroids could increase skeletal muscle growth in animals, bodybuilders started taking steroids to enhance their strength. Over time, steroid use spread to other types of athletes (Glaviano, 2009, 55-57).

Although many athletes apparently believe that the benefits of taking steroids outweigh the potential risks, medical experts tend to disagree. Moreover, anabolic steroids can lead to early heart attacks, strokes, liver tumors, kidney failure, and serious psychiatric problems, such as depression and increased aggression. Steroids can also produce various unattractive effects-e.g., acne, hair loss, male breast development and voice deepening in women. Some of those effects can be reversed if a user stops taking steroids early enough, but others are permanent (Savulescu, & Foddy, & Clayton, 2004, 666-670).

The potential negative side effects of HGH are less well-documented than those of steroids. Many experts agree that using HGH can lead to joint pain and swelling, but claims that HGH can cause more serious problems--such as cancer--are in greater dispute. As in the case of steroids, it is illegal to obtain human growth hormone without a prescription. Nevertheless, illegal supplies of both steroids and HGH remain available to many athletes; both substances can be smuggled into the U.S. from other countries, or synthesized in laboratories by unauthorized distributors (Dixon, 2001, 78-89).

Discussion

The search for a drug or training method that can provide athletes with a competitive advantage may be as old as sports themselves. People have been looking for an edge in sports, and human endeavor since the beginning of time as sports is competitive and everyone wants to win the challenge. However, during the 5th and 4th centuries B.C., for instance, athletes consumed foods such as lion hearts and deer livers in the belief that consuming them would bestow traits such as bravery, speed or strength (Glaviano, 2009, 55-57).

Athletes in ancient Greece sometimes prepared for competition by drinking mixtures of strychnine and wine. Since then, a wide array of substances has been consumed by athletes looking to enhance their performance during competition. Athletes have taken stimulants, such as ...