Community Problem

Report: Performance
Enhancing Drugs

Bryan Regalado
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO RWS1301 November 15, 2017
 If steroids are illegal for athletes, then photoshop should be illegal for models. This is a

controversial issue. We have seen a rise in performance enhancing drugs over the past decades

and the death toll keeps rising. For many of us we arent familiar with performance enhancing

drugs and frankly we must become more aware of this issue. Performance enhancing drugs can

be known as anabolic steroids, glucocorticoid steroids, blood doping, human growth hormone,

testosterone derivatives, diuretics, and stimulants to name a few. Health issues and psychological

effects deteriorate athletes and strength athletes. Turning on your tv set and watching the best

players go head to head we fail to realize that some of the daunting tasks accomplished by them

are sometimes achieved by some type of drug. Not only do they hurt themselves, but they hurt

the sport. And obviously there is life after steroids but since this subject is taboo athletes never

share on this topic.

Anabolic steroids-Synthesized lipids of testosterone to influence body growth and

development mainly muscle tissue (Lenehan, P. 2003).

Glucocorticoid Steroids- The medical use of these compounds is to treat allergies,

asthma, inflammatory conditions, and skin disorders among other ailments (USADA 2014).

Blood Doping- Blood doping is the practice of misusing certain techniques and

substances to increase the red blood cell mass in the body (USADA 2014).

HGH- primary medical use of these compounds vary, but include treatment of cancer or

aiding those born prematurely (USADA 2014).

Diuretics- primary medical use of these compounds is to treat conditions such as

hypertension, kidney disease and congestive heart failure (USADA 2014)

Drugs Used
 It seems that as time passes and science advances the range of drugs available to athletes

becomes massive. When we think of performance enhancing drugs what immediately comes to

mind are steroids, but there is an array of synthetically manufactured drugs under the spectrum

and similar practices to enhancing an athletes performance. Anabolic steroids were the first to

hit the market as testosterone derivatives. This new wave of drugs caused a euphoria within

sports and world class athletes. What these drugs do is that they bind to the androgen receptors in

the body to produce more testosterone than the body naturally produces on its own. With this

comes more protein synthesis in the body and therefore the body grows and gains more stamina.

Since the body gains more stamina and strength with anabolics they are the most popular with

athletes. Human growth hormone (HGH) is a hormone we naturally produce since birth. This

hormone helps us with cell reproduction and growth, though some of us fail to produce this

hormone genetically. Physicians prescribe HGH to those who fail to produce it, but there is

another side to HGH many of us dont know. When HGH is combined with strength training the

body recovers much faster and grows at a rate never seen before. Bodybuilders misuse this

hormone to give them more muscle mass and an edge over their competition. Now we switch

gears and talk about the not so scientifically modified hormones and talk about Blood doping.

Blood doping according to the USADA (2014) is the practice of misusing certain techniques

and substances to increase the red blood cell mass in the body. Blood doping is popular among

endurance athletes such as long/short distance runners, cyclist, and swimmers. Red blood cells

carry oxygen in our blood stream to muscles and whilst doing these practices it increases aerobic

capacity and endurance (USADA 2014). Blood transfusion is the major practice used in blood

doping, although there are other practices such as the use of EPOs (synthetic oxygen carriers) to

increase the oxygen in red blood cells. Now lastly Diuretics, the last drug that we will talk about
is not so common in very other sport but itss used in bodybuilding. What this drug treats are

hypertension, kidney failure, and heart failure. This is with doctor supervision of course, but

most of these are sold at nutrition centers and market shelves and are being used by bodybuilders

to extremities. Diuretics aid bodybuilders with the loss of unwanted water leading up to a show.

It works like this, the less water bodybuilders retain the more of a dry look they will have,

more aesthetic and more symmetrical is what they plan to achieve. These drugs have proven to

be effective to create a superhuman, but every superhuman has its weakness.

Physiological Aspect

Now that science has created a superhuman athlete it also comes with its consequences. The

physiological aspect of using performance enhancing drugs outweighs the benefits of it. Whats

even more frightening is that Athletes are taking up to 20x the recommended dosages and

anabolic steroids are being taken in quantities as much as twenty times greater than the

therapeutic dose (T. Murray 1983). What athletes get in return is this huge array of side effects

to many of the important body systems such as the endocrine system, the nervous system, and

the cardiovascular system. While some are irreversible, some only attribute to males while others

to females. For the most part the cardiovascular system suffers the most. Hypertension is
 commonly associated with steroid use, with hypertension comes strokes and heart failure.

Figure 1: The ventricles in the heart dilate and thicken with steroid usage and HGH since the

heart is a also a muscle causing heart failure.

There have been multiple occasions to where steroid use and heart failure have been linked

together one example was the recent passing of Rich Piana former NPC competitor and CEO of

5% nutrition. Autopsy revealed that Rich suffered from enlarged heart, fatty liver, and mild

coronary arethclorosis. (Generation Iron 2017). This doesnt stop here performance enhancing

drugs attribute to damage in the liver. Oral supplementation has proven to have a high toxicity on

the liver. Diabetes and thyroid problems come with HGH use its like trying to break a cycle of

hormones with other hormones. Often the side affects only affect one sex. Females face more

prejudice since these drugs give them a more masculine look. Deepened voice, facial hair,

cessation of breast development and the list goes on. Testosterone is produced when the

substances are used orally or intravenous, but females dont produce testosterone they produce

estrogen and testosterone overrides the production of estrogen and gives them a masculine look.

Hormonal imbalances occur in both sexs hence the overproduction of hormones; acne, pattern
baldness, and stunted growth are some of the most noticeable. These drugs make you a cutting-

edge athlete, but your health, life and appearance pay the price.

Psychological Aspect

Being an athlete takes a toll on the mind, you never feel satisfied with your performance or how

you look. Its when muscle dysmorphia, roid rage and the feeling of never being fast enough

affects your reasoning. Muscle dysmorphia tend to be a topic thats in the shadows and some

athletes will always suffer from. Muscle dysmorphia can be attributed to steroid use because

when athletes suffer from this mental condition the body appears to be small or never muscled

enough and what we see is more and more linkage of muscularity with masculinity. And so,

were seeing more and more young men with muscle dysmorphiaThe consequences of this

kind of thinking can be dangerous, many are also turning to anabolic steroids to achieve the

muscle mass they associate with masculinity. (TIME 2017) Though this is not something new

we have come across there has not been medical research implemented to find a psychological

therapeutic way of helping athletes. These synthetically modified substances are conflicting with

the way athletes rationalize and think, not only does it hurt them, but it also influences their

behavior. Roid rage when on steroids is like a locomotive without brakes. It seems nearly

impossible to deal with someones aggressive behavior when they have an outburst. There have

been past incidents where murder has been associated with this behavior. The film Bigger,

Faster, Stronger documents a former strong man on steroid use. Chris Bell recalls an incident in

the sports community where a former bodybuilder murdered his wife. The cause? Steroids. More

commonly known as Roid Rage. Most recent research has found that the misuse of performance

enhancing drugs cause neuropsychiatric disorders in the brain and lead to depressive thoughts

(USADA 2014). Depression is not something that can be easily treated now with these drugs
 involved it would seem nearly impossible to stop a person or athletes from committing suicide.

The athlete feels in control during the sport, but these drugs hijack their mind and their will, its

like they are never in control.

Damage to the Sport/Real Life Cases

The subject is taboo when motioned to athletes, more so bodybuilders, they feel like a freak

show with no circus to hide in. Performance enhancing drugs were introduced to sports since the

early 70s so its not new that NFL players, cyclist, Olympic athletes, and bodybuilders use

them. Athletes never speak on this topic because they depend on fame and sponsorships daily.

Athletes would be labeled as cheaters if they tested positive for performance enhancing drugs

more so, athletes are finding new ways to go unnoticed to these tests. Its outrageous that athletes

find ways to blend in and throughout their career go unnoticed. In todays sports talent gets you

so far, but steroids get you further. Whatever it takes states Rich Piana athletes will do

whatever it takes to become number one or take that number one spot on the podium YOU

CANNOT COMPARE WHAT WE TOOK IN THE SEVENTIES WITH WHAT THEYRE

TAKING NOW. WE WERE TAKING 15MG THEN AND THEY TAKE 1000MG OF THE

SAME THING NOW. ITS OUTRAGEOUS. ITS JUST HUGE AMOUNTS OF DOSAGES.

ITS ONLY BECAUSE OF A LACK OF EDUCATION THAT THEY DONT KNOW THAT

IT WILL KILL THEM. WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IS RELY MORE ON THE WORK after

hearing Arnolds opinion on steroid usage is it really hard work? Or just drugs making the

athletes perform at their best? There is no real answer to this question though there is evidence

suggesting that steroids really made athletes who they were. Lance Armstrong, 7 time Tour De

France winner and former cyclist was stripped of his 7 titles when tested positive for blood

doping (Lenehan 2003). Victor Martinez current IFBB bodybuilder arrested in 2007 for a
 controlled substance (Generation Iron 2013). Rich Pianas death and an autopsy revealing

enlarged heart due to steroid usage (Generation Iron 2013). The deaths will tally up and athletes

will continue to use them because its a way of life and since everybody cheats why shouldnt

they?

Conclusion/Life after Steroids

These drugs spread like wildfire amongst athletes and the side effect can be deadly. Performance

enhancing drugs have proven to be the deadliest silent killer in sports. Cardiovascular diseases,

Psychological disorders, and physiological effects are killing athletes and their careers. Sure,

there is still life after steroids, though athletes will never be as healthy as they were before. There

is no end to where these drugs will continue to evolve and to what extent athletes will use them.

Medical help and psychiatrist should be at reach of athletes without prosecution, though this will

never happen since performance enhancing drugs are all controlled substances and illegal.

Possessing the right knowledge can help lower deaths and problems in the sport as well as

making the environment much safer.

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from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-truth-about-steroids-and-sports/

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Retrieved November 05, 2017, from http://time.com/4622653/men-body-image-muscle-

steroids/

Lenehan, P. (2003). Anabolic steroids (Vol. 11). New York: Taylor & Francis. November 5,

2017.

Murray, T. (1983). The Coercive Power of Drugs in Sports. The Hastings Center

Report, 13(4), 24-30. doi:10.2307/3561718

U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). 2014. Effects of Performance-Enhancing Drugs |

USADA. November 5, 2017.

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Cinema. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViRPlTHNUhA November 5, 2017

Arnold Schwarzenegger Talks Steroid Abuse In Bodybuilding, Rich Piana And Calum Von

Moger. (2017, October 26). Retrieved November 20, 2017, from

https://generationiron.com/arnold-speaks-calum-von-moger-steroid-use/