Pros And Cons Of Performance Enhancing Drugs: Improving The Human Body

Do performance enhancing drugs really improve the human body? When should the possible side effects of these drugs be considered? While many people think the use of performance enhancing drugs should be offered, others believe the possible risks of using the drugs are too high. The controversy over whether or not performance enhancing drugs should be used starting in the 1960’s, questioning the benefits and drawbacks athletes have experienced.

Performance enhancing drugs have an extremely long history. When athletes first started building up their bodies, they would drink potions and eat large quantities of food. For example, the Greek wrestlers, in 776 B.C. would eat substantial amounts of meat, to build muscle, while the “Norse warriors

Some of these advantages include; reduction of fatigue, an increase of speed, performance ability, training effectiveness, recovery rate, an increase of muscle mass, muscle definition and leanness, and an increase of an athletes strength (“Performing”). To be more specific, some of the main drugs used are stimulants, which increases an athlete's heart rate and blood pressure to improve endurance, reduce fatigue, and increases alertness. Another drug used is Erythropoietin (EPO), it is stated that it “is taken by athletes to increase the movement of oxygen in the muscle” (“Performance” Types). Erythropoietin and Hypoxia-inducible factor stabilizers (HIF) are known to reduce soreness and boost red blood cell count. This helps escalate athletic endurance, and is mostly used by cyclists, and cross country runners (“Gillis”). Christopher Angel, a basketball coach at New Hanover High School, stated, “because we practice very hard, they would most likely use the drugs for muscle recovery”. This reveals why these drugs seem appealing to athletes of any age. Another drugs, Androstenedione, “allows athletes to train harder and recover quicker from strenuous workouts,” allowing them to continually play their best (“Performance” Types). These drugs, such as steroids, are seen as beneficial and known to increase strength by about 38%, and heighten stamina by about 34% (“Performance Enhancement”). Other drugs have been known to increase how long someone can hold their breath. One athlete noticed that he could hold his breath longer by about 11%, and scientists found that overall these drugs have increased the performance of players by as much as 8% (“Performance Enhancement”). Performance enhancing drugs have physically improved the human body in many ways and allow athletes to continue to progress their