Performance Enhancing Drugs

The Centers for Disease Control note that roughly five percent of high school athletes take performance enhancing drugs; the National Collegiate Athletic Association says nearly 60 percent of athletes take supplements which may contain banned substances (Kowalski, 2003, 7). Athletes use the drugs for several reasons: to build body mass and strengthen muscles; to increase oxygen delivery to exercising muscles; to mask pain; to generally stimulate the body; to relax and reduce stress; to lose weight; and to mask the use of other drugs (Freudenrich, 2004).

The drugs used depend on the effects

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the bodyÆs warning sign of a problem, and should not be ignored. Masking pain risks further injury, and many painkillers are addictive: taking anabolic steroids enhances addiction to painkillers. Gamma hydroxy butyrate (GHB) is a club drug, which depresses the central nervous system and is taken by athletes who believe they can build muscle while sleeping when they take this drug - a totally false belief. Many supplements are turned into GHB by the body. Nutritional supplements such as proteins and amino acids are often taken by athletes, believing they can build muscle faster, and repair injuries faster if they take things the body can use to make muscle (Kowalski, 2003, 10). However, the nutrient requirements of the body to work efficiently must be finely balanced, and anything taken in excess upsets this balance and can be harmful. Dry mouth and thirst are common side effects of these supplements, and large doses of protein can damage the kidneys. Also, since supplements are unregulated, they may contain banned substances, which can get the athlete in trouble, even if he did not know they were there. Androstenedione and creatine are muscle-building compounds that are classified as supplements (Bruce, 2002). They ha
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Approximate Word count = 1840
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)

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