Why Do Athletes Use Steroids?

There are many recreational drugs or other substances that are used by athletes everywhere in this world today in an effort to enhance their performance in sports. At least that is what most athletes could think. More than so it is just a way to gain an unfair advantage over their competitors. There are drugs such as androgens, growth hormones and growth factors, stimulants, nutritional supplements, and other recreational drugs.

Androgens are a type of drug that tends to increase the amounts of testosterone level way above what is considered normal for the human body. As a result it increases muscle strength and mass. There are also many types of androgens, but most still perform the same and have the same results. Other androgens include exogenous

Stimulants was also banned by the WADA or known as the World Anti-Doping, as a class, but does allow caffeine. They mean caffeine by the use of energy drinks (Drug abuse in Athletes, 2014).

Energy drinks now include an assortment all kinds of stimulants and other additives. Not only caffeine, but also the amino acids, taurine and L-carnitine, glucuronolactone, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, and many others. Tuarine is proven to possibly improve exercising capacity. The caffeine level in an energy beverage can contain up to 500 mg per can or bottle (Drug abuse in Athletes, 2014).

Nutritional substances however include, substances such as vitamins, herbs, minerals, extracts, and metabolites. Although, the pureness of the previous substances are not positively guaranteed. They may however contain banned substances with the athlete or manufacturer even being aware of the fact (Drug abuse in Athletes,

Many athletes use these substances to reduce the amount of anxiety, which may be a way of performance enhancement. Although little research was done on how these substances could possibly enhance performance and if they really do. Narcotic are commonly used to reduce the pain during any physical activity as in playing or practicing (Drug abuse in Athletes, 2014).

It is gathered that most doping substances include potential long term and short term side effects. The knowledge about side effects may be gathered from observation of effected patients. Then they can be prescribed with prescriptions for medical need (Drug abuse in Athletes, 2014).

Drug testing is most commonly known and typically occurs in organized, competitive sports. In college level many organizations such as the National Collegiate Athletic Association or known as the NCAA, manage standard drug testing programs and enforce penalties for tests that are positive. Elite athletes that are competing in international and national levels are accountable to regulated anti-doping guidelines under the advocacy of the WADA and other related organizations (Drug abuse in Athletes,