• The dangers of performance enhancing drug use, eg physical effects, loss of reputation, sponsorship and income
• For strength (human growth hormone, anabolic steroids)
• For aerobic performance (EPO)
• To mask other drugs (diuretics, alcohol)
• Benefits and limitations of drug testing

The Dangers of Performance Enhancing Drug Use

• Drug screening (Dope tests) are common for elite athletes.
• News of a positive dope test could spread really fast through the media.
• Loss of reputation will follow, players are often banned for life from participating in a sport.
• Players also lose sponsors since no brand would want to associate with defaulters.
• The chain of events trigger mental conditions such as anxiety and depression.

For Strength

• Often, athletes intake human growth hormones (HGH) as supplements to enhance strength and power development.
• Side effects include:
  • Pain in the nerve, muscle and joint
  • Muscular weakness due to under development
  • Elevated cholesterol
  • Disposition of a giant (large chins, ears, hands, feet)
  • Diabetes and cardiovascular diseases
• Some athletes also enhance power development by changing body composition using anabolic steroids. These come with severe health implications as well.

For Aerobic Performance

• Erythropoietin (EPO) is a hormone that is naturally produced in our body by the kidneys for synthesis of red blood cells (RBC).
• Some individuals take extra EPO from external sources to trigger more RBC production leading to heightened levels of oxygen transport facilitating aerobic activities.
• Excessive RBC in blood can increase blood pressure and lead to:
  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Cerebral or pulmonary embolism
  • Block and damage to the arteries
    

To Mask Other Drugs

• Diuretics dehydrate the body quite quickly and triggers eliminations of water through urine.
• When the urine becomes dilute, the presence of drugs cannot be detected precisely.
• Because of this mechanism that could easily hoodwink a dope test, the use of diuretics and alcohol is banned in many sports.

Benefits and Limitations of Drug Testing

• Benefits
  • Restraining athletes from cheating maneuvers by using drugs
  • Ensuring fair play and good sportsmanship is maintained
  • Promotion of safety and equity in sports
• Limitations
  • Limited to a certain spectrum of drugs.
  • Often athletes are exposed in front of testers so there’s a concern regarding privacy.
  • The testing methods are sophisticated and therefore expensive.