Effects of Some Performance Enhancing Drugs

"Andro! Hey, it's not illegal." So said Mark Maguire, Sammy Sosa and a host of other major league baseball players, some retired, who were openly using the drug Androstenedione into the 21st century. There was a Canadian sprinter not many years ago who was stripped of his gold medal in the Olympics for having used performance enhancing drugs. Over the past 30 years or so there have been many Olympic medal winners stripped of their medals for drug use and abuse.

It's not illegal. I feel better when I use it. I don't get so tired in a double-header. I feel better after a good night's sleep. But the bottom line is "It's not illegal!" Or it wasn't. It is now, in 2005. Should it be? Should the other performance enhancing drugs be illegal? We really don't have all the genetic evidence in yet. Do performance enhancers, and especially anabolic steroids, have long-term deleterious genetic effects? We may not know for another 10-20-30 or more years? We may never know for sure? But the evidence of playing with chemicals is in, and there may be evidence to at least suggest (see artificial sweeteners) the possibility of genetic changes from prolonged use.

So just what are the major Performance Enhancers and what they do, good and bad. Here are a few (following statistics from the Mayo Clinic):

Creatine. Typical drug of choice for many high school athletes. Over-the-counter supplement best known for improving performance in sports involving short bursts of high-intensity activity such as power lifting, wrestling and sprinting. Side effects include stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea and muscle cramps. High doses may be associated with kidney, liver or heart problems. Serious dehydration may occur from the redirection of the body's water to the muscles. Possible leading cause of the death of a young and promising professional baseball player in 2004.

Androstenedione (andro). Proponents claim it boosts testosterone production, which in turn increases muscle mass, energy and strength. In reality, andro doesn't do any of that. The Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004 classified andro as a controlled substance, adding it to the list of banned anabolic steroids and making its use illegal. In males it can actually decrease the production of testosterone while increasing the production of estrogen. Side effects include acne, diminished sperm production, shrinking of the testicles and enlargement of the breasts. In females side effects include acne and masculinization, such as deepening of the voice and male-pattern baldness. Andro might also stunt a child's growth.

Ephedra. Ephedra is a plant that contains the chemical ephedrine, a stimulant similar to amphetamines. Athletes may take an over-the-counter supplement containing ephedra to reduce physical fatigue, lose weight or improve mental alertness. In December 2003 the FDA announced the ban of ephedra because of health concerns. Also known as ma-huang, popotillo and ephedrae herba, ephedra can cause such side effects as strokes, seizures and heart attacks. Ephedra can raise

blood sugar and cause an irregular heart rhythm. Long-term use can lead to addiction. Check the labels of sports energy drinks or energy bars. They may include ephedra.

Anabolic Steroids. Anabolic steroids are taken orally or by injection. In the U.S., this group of performance-enhancing drugs is generally available only by prescription. Anabolic steroids are particularly dangerous for adolescents because their bones are still developing. The drugs can damage the heart, kidney and liver.Signs in males include increased acne and male-pattern baldness. If a girl takes anabolic steroids she may develop male characteristics such as deep voice or dark facial hair. The more dangerous physical conditions, such as liver tumors, increased blood pressure and elevated cholesterol, won't be visible. Also, effects on a teen's future fertility are unknown. Teens who take anabolic steroids may have angry outbursts known as "'roid rage". They may seem unusually moody and experience depression when they stop using the drugs. Other signs of steroid use are paranoia, hallucination and psychosis.

These are just the known benefits and side effects of these performance enhancing drugs. There likely are many other, very bad, side effects still to be discovered. If you are seriously considering using one or another (or more) of these drugs you should do so only under a doctor's guidance. And my personal advice in this regard is: get at least two doctors to agree to your need. Need, not simple desire.

Disclaimer: This article in no way should be taken as “medical advice” on any product, condition or course of action, nor does it constitute in any way “medical advice” endorsing any specific product, specific result, nor any possible cure for any condition or problem. This article is meant as a source of information upon which you may base your decision as to whether or not you should begin using any vitamin, mineral and/or herbal supplement for better health, or begin using a “greens” product as a dietary supplement.

If in doubt, or if you have questions, you should consult your physician and, if possible, consult a second physician for a possible different opinion. The author does not bear any responsibility for your decisions nor for the outcome of your actions based upon those decisions.

Reference includes Author's personal experience and memory, previously published stories and USA Today Sports Weekly (drug statistics provided by the Mayo Clinic) for June 8-14, 2005. Check this edition for additional and very frightening information on High School steroid use.

About the Author

Loring Windblad has studied nutrition and exercise for more than 40 years, is a published author and freelance writer.

This article is Copyright 2005 by http://www.organicgreens.us, http://www.organicgreens.ca and Loring Windblad. This article may be freely copied and used on other web sites only if it is copied complete with all links and text, including the Authors Resource Box, intact and unchanged except for minor improvements.

Written by: Loring A. Windblad