The Implications of Drugs Used in Sports

Performance enhancers are illegal drugs that can improve physical activity, like in sports or bodybuilding. Many athletes, especially in pro-sports, use performance-enhancing drugs. Athletes’ don’t take these drugs to level the field; they do it to get an advantage. The end game will eventually end up in violence, committed by strong built players. Knowing that those kinds of drugs can create health problem, many Olympic players still choose to take them, because it gives them a better chance of winning. Even though performance-enhancing drugs help get the person using them stronger and perform better, the athletes should not use performance-enhancing drugs because of major health and social issues later in the future.

Performance enhancing drugs creates health issues, for example, cardiovascular and liver diseases, bad acne, increases major injuries to muscle tears and tendons, it also causes many nosebleeds, and sometimes insomnia. While these type of drugs help improve physical activities, that require a lot of strength and energy, athletes’ hurt themselves in the long run just for a small competition reward. This is the reason why sports judges and doctors are trying to ban steroids and other forms of performance enhancers in major competitions. Many worldwide athletes have been banned from sports competitions due to the usage of enhancement drugs. Look at Dwain Chambers for example. He was a famous British Sprinter who was banned for two years after he had taken the steroid THG. Any medals or rewards he had won since the year 2002 were taken from him. He also had to pay back any rewards he had made in his athletic career during the time he was taking the drugs. Pro athletes are major influences on many student-athletes, mainly male athletes because they are the role models to those who look up to them. When a pro athlete gets caught or admits to using enhancers; the message young athletes hear is that “using enhancers helps you get stronger, just don’t get caught. ” Sports events would soon become tests of rival's success to good pharmaceutical technology and knowledge.

Some positive effects are increased muscle strength, body size, healing rate Enhancements can cause a great dosage of testosterone in both the male and female blood system, which will cause permanent defects gender-wise. In females, testosterone can cause deepening of the voice, cessation of breast development, facial, stomach and upper back hair growth, enlarge the clitoris and creates abnormal menstrual cycles. In males it can develop breast tissue, shrinking of the testicles, impotence, and reduction in sperm production. Enhancements can also cause strokes, heart attacks, hypertension, leukemia, anemia, feminization and thyroid problems. Other problems that can occur is severe headaches, sweating, nausea, muscle cramps, dizziness or fainting, severe dehydration, major drops in bold pressure and loss of balance.

Performance enhancers are known for getting a guaranteed win, but also causing long-term health issues in the near future. It helps athletes “cheat” in the Olympics or in pro-ball. Enhancements can easily get an athlete disqualified from any games or championships. It also increases the risks of aggravated acts and depression. Yes, they help them get stronger and perform better, but it is not worth getting caught, as well as losing the great reputation that was gained, and destroying or being banned from competitions.