The Dope on Drugs in Sport

A short primer on the hottest (illegal) sports-enhancing drugs.

EPO

EPO (erythropoietin) is a kidney-produced hormone that stimulates the growth of new red blood cells (RBCs) from stem cells within the bone marrow. The hormone can be synthesized and given to patients suffering from anemia--a low RBC count-- related to chemotherapy and end-stage kidney disease. Athletes gain an edge from shooting EPO (Aranesp, Epogen, or Procrit) because more RBCs translates into greater oxygen transference to muscle, increasing an athlete’s overall endurance. The same effect can be gained by transfusing previously stored blood.

As with any drug, the potential side-effects of EPO are numerous. Common side-effects include flu-like symptoms, injection-site pain, and high-blood pressure. Less common but more concerning side-effects include red blood-cell aplasia (the sudden inability to make red blood cells) and stroke. The latter is caused by the increasing viscosity of blood resulting from an increased proportion of RBCs (i.e. the blood turns into sludge, like engine oil that has not been changed for 20,000 miles). Couple that with the dehydration common during exercise and you have a recipe for lethal stroke in a seemingly healthy athelete. While transfusing one’s own blood may seem the safest bet, their is a risk of infection and clots from improper storage/handling.

HGH

Human growth hormone (GH) is a pituitary hormone that stimulates another hormone called insulin-growth factor (IGF-1)--the hormone that mediates growth in children. Synthetic GH can be given to congenitally short-statured children to increase their height. Athletes use it to boost muscle mass and aid in recovery of muscles after injury or intense training.

Exogenous (synthetic) GH in adults causes acromegaly, or the abnormal growth of soft tissue. Obvious signs include the widening and thickening of the jaw bone, forehead, hands, and feet, resulting in a more coarse or Neanderthal-like appearance. Headaches, hand-numbness, sight-impairment, and back pain may occur as a result of excessive bone enlargement. Worse still, abusers of GH are more likely to become diabetic, impotent, and develop irreversible heart disease. (The heart grows until it outstrips its blood supply and begins dying.)

STEROIDS

Anabolic steroids are a class of synthetic hormones, the most commonly of which is the male hormone, testosterone. Like GH, anabolic steroids increase lean muscle mass. Low-dosage steroids can be given to patients with delayed puberty, low libido, and AIDs (to treat muscle wasting).

The list of steroid side-effects is long and gender-dependent. Commonly, most abusers will be afflicted with acne, water retention, volatile behavior, rapid weight gain and immunosuppression. Men using steroids chronically may suffer testicular shrinkage, increased balding, and gynecomastia (a.k.a., ‘man boobs’). Women may develop a male hair-pattern (i.e. chin and nipple whiskers), baldness, clitoral enlargement, breast shrinkage, deepening of the voice, and irregular periods. Severe effects include steroid-induced psychosis, sleep apnea, and heart attack.

WRAP

While many a career has been made using illegal sports-enhancing drugs, there is always a price exacted: be it eventual humiliation by the press, alienation of family and friends, poor health, or premature death.

~ Medagogue