Written by M. Prince, Memphis, TN
Performance-enhancing drugs–PEDs–have become a part of the sports scene. PEDs are outlawed by most athletic associations and competitive athletes undergo random (and routine) drug-testing as a result.
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Cyclist Lance Armstrong is perhaps the most recognized athlete for “doping.” From 1999 to 2005 Armstrong won seven consecutive Tour de France titles. He inspired others–as a cancer survivor–by the accomplishments. But in 2012 the U.S Anti-Doping Agency stripped Armstrong of those titles, as well as other honors he had achieved, and banned him from cycling for life.
“Sport needs to recognize that every time there is an inept response from the sports administrators to doping—as we have seen from cycling over the years—the reputation of sport across the world suffers as a result,” says John Fahey, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) president. However, Danny Mills (a soccer player Great Britain) had this to say: “Everyone is getting fitter, stronger, trying to prevent injuries, looking for that new idea, that miracle cure to get them back from injury quicker.”
When it’s time to “dope up” one drug of choice is Erythropoietin (EPO). EPO abnormally increases the amount of oxygen in an athlete’s blood. EPO use enhances an athlete’s recovery time. The results are also well reflected in renditions of male phenotypes in kids’ toys—with “buff” physical presentations: Hasbro’s G.I. Joe is an example. And fitness magazines are loaded with pictures of men and women who are ripped and toned.
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But not shown is how those bodies were created. One way is through training, but another way is through doping, particularly steroids. “Steroids and doping will help pitchers to throw harder, home runs to go further, cyclists to charge for longer and sprinters to test the very limits of human speed,” says Chris Smith.
Steroids are man-made derivatives of testosterone, the male hormone. “Anabolic” refers to the ability of steroids to build-up muscle tissue. Testosterone came into the sporting arena by way of Russian weight lifters in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Steroids do have therapeutic value, though. The United States Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of selected steroids for treating specific types of anemia, some breast cancers, osteoporosis, endometriosis, and hereditary angioedema, a rare disease involving the swelling of some parts of the body.
Steroids are used today by young people “in a hurry” to reach maturity—used to build muscle mass. They help muscles recuperate more quickly from exhaustion and injury, and enable users to train more frequently, for longer periods of time, and at a higher intensity level. Athletes sometimes take drugs in dosages 10-to-100 times greater than would be prescribed for therapeutic purposes. And athletes often take more than one type of steroid at a time, a practice known as “stacking.” Steroids may be taken by injection or orally.
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PEDs also have psychological effects. While many athletes report “feeling good” about themselves, users often experience wide mood swings, ranging from violent periods (and sometimes homicidal) episodes known as “’roid rages.” They can also suffer from depression, paranoia, extreme irritability, illusions, and impaired judgment stemming from feelings of invincibility.
So what does a young, open-minded athlete do? While athletes want to perform at the highest level possible, PEDs also offer the possibility of harmful side effects. There’s shame if caught, too.
Athletes know it’s wrong. Yet they often see public role models and heroes use PEDs. So it’s not surprising (according to the New York Post) that “Experimentation (with human growth hormones) by America’s teens more than doubled in the past year, as more young people looked to drugs to boost their athletic performance and improve their looks, according to a new, large-scale national survey.”
This outcome is alarming. As more youth hear, see, and learn about substances that have the potential to give them “an advantage,” some will seek unfair advantages through PEDs. Combined with exercise, steroids can produce quick gains: greater endurance and faster speed … quite alluring for kids trying to get a college athletic scholarship.
But side-effects can be onerous. Anabolic steroids have been linked to increased cholesterol, stroke and blood clots, urinary and bowel problems, and problems with the musculoskeletal system. Because steroids are a hormone, much like testosterone, the effects on sex characteristics can be far reaching, causing a kind of hyper-masculinity in young men. They can cause male-pattern baldness, shrinking of the testicles, irreversible gynecomastia, and the premature closure of growth plates. The excess of testosterone can also have feminizing effects on young men, such as breast development.
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There are opposing sides to this argument, though. Some believe doctors could prevent abuse if they prescribed and monitored PEDs. The danger, the argument goes, is with the abuse of PEDs.
Let’s take the case of steroids. Lower cost is one reason for legalizing steroids in sports. Over $400 million dollars per year is spent on sports drugs on The Black Market. By legalizing steroids the demand on The Black Market would decrease substantially and consumer price would be set competitively–in a public (not private) marketplace. Law enforcement costs would decrease as well.
Legalizing steroids would also reduce the number of “pushers” on the streets and in gyms. Steroids would be purchased at a pharmacy. That option would reduce the selling of “fake steroids,” a common occurrence on The Black Market.
The legalization of steroids would be similar to the legalization of cannabis, i.e., marijuana. And, just like with marijuana, legalization would enable research on steroids use. One area of research interest is the positive contributions of the drug, such as helping athletes respond to injuries. Steroids help repair joint tissues. Another interest is studying the effect of use on senior athletes.
For many, though, at issue is the moral side of using PEDs. Is it wrong for athletes to use them? Currently we assume that “the rules are good rules,” meaning PEDs ought to be banned. But we’ve made progress in sports in a number of ways: new running shoes have been designed and better helmets are on the market. Why not include PEDs on that list?
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The reality is that some athletes will always use PEDs. They will take drugs for a variety of reasons: to break records, help with self-esteem, substitute for hard work, and recover from injuries. But, when caught, use tarnishes reputations and users are considered cheaters.
One option—the current motif—is for governing organizations to completely abolish PED use and levy severe penalties on users. An alternative is to legalize PEDs and to control their use—as we do with all pharmaceuticals.
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WORKS CITED Barnard, Matt. “Athletes Will Never Stop Using Performance-Enhancing Drugs.” Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center (2007). CNN, Library. “Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports Fast Facts.” CNN (2014). New York Post, “Growth Hormone use exploding among high school teens.” (2014). USADA. “Effects of Performance Enhancing Drugs | U.S. Anti-Doping Agency USADA.” U.S. Anti-Doping Agency USADA (2014). Nationwide Children’s Hospital, “Abuse of Drugs to Enhance Sports Performance: Winning at Any Cost.“ (2015). Jerry Adler, Toxic Strength. Newsweek, pp. 44-52 (2004). Education Digest, “Steroid Abuse Moves into the Scholastic Arena.” (2008).
