Abstract

This article reviews adverse effects of and the difficulty of attributing toxic effects to selected drugs and dietary supplements that purportedly enhance athletic performance. On surveys estimating the extent of performance-enhancing drug use, 5% of high school students indicated anabolic-adrenergic steroid use, and approximately 28% of collegiate athletes and 5.6% of middle and high school athletes admitted creatine use. Many adverse health effects from the abuse of androgenic-anabolic steroids and androstenedione (a prodrug) are exaggerations of excessive testosterone on hepatic, cardiovascular, reproductive, and behavioral functions that can produce permanent changes. With creatine use, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, elevated serum transaminase concentrations, hypertension, fluid retention, muscle cramping, and muscle strains have been reported. Ephedra stimulates adrenergic receptors, leading to tachycardia and hypertension, with central nervous system effects of anxiety, tremor, and hyperactivity. From 1997 to 1999, 10 people died and 13 suffered permanent disabilities due to ephedra. γ-Hydroxybutyrate and several prodrugs (γ-butyrolactone and 1,4-butanediol) can produce alternating agitation and coma, amnesia, hypotonia, ataxia, nystagmus, tremors, bradycardia, respiratory depression, and apnea. Although γ-hydroxybutyrate abuse began as a bodybuilding aid, most serious adverse effects are from acute overdoses. Adverse effects from performance-enhancing drugs do occur, but their extent and frequency are unknown.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.