PEDs in Sports Should be Banned

“People use performance enhancers to improve their performance during high-intensity physical exercise. A performance enhancer, or ergogenic aid, is anything that gives you a mental or physical edge while exercising or competing. This can range from caffeine and sports drinks to illegal substances.” Performance enhancement drugs (PEDs) give an unfair advantage to athletes and this is why they should be banned in sports. The performance enhancers that are classified safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the PEDs that are banned by the NCAA and Olympics commision, and athletes that were banned or had their title removed due to the use of PEDs. These are the arguments that I will explain and the reasons why they should be banned from sports.

The performance enhancers that are classified safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are things like Hydroxymethylbutyrate (HMB) which is an acid that is naturally found in the body. It is said to help and enhance muscles and, slow the breakdown of muscles during a workout. Research has shown that HMB doesn’t help enhance athletic performance. If taken in standard doses then it is not considered harmful. If taken as an overdose it can be harmful to the kidneys. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) “is a type of fat that athletes take to reduce muscle damage and increase lean body mass after exercise.” The side effects of  CLA are an upset stomach, nausea, and fatigue. It can also affect how the body uses insulin for energy. Chromium is a mineral found in the body. The mineral is said to help increase muscle mass, burn fat and enhance a person’s energy levels. If chromium is taken in large doses it can damage DNA and healthy fats. Even though these performance enhancers are classified safe they still should be banned because they can give athletes an advantage in their workouts ultimately making them perform better on their respective sport.  And if they don’t give an athlete an unfair advantage in a sport but affect their bodies causing harm or even death these substances should be banned altogether.

The illegal PEDS that are banned by the NCAA and Olympics commision are very dangerous and can cause death. Harmful and illegal PEDs that are banned by the NCAA and the Olympics commision are the following PEDs. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), is the most abundant steroid in humans but synthetic versions can be very dangerous. Anabolic and other steroids can seriously damage ones body and can even be fatal. Blood doping has also been popular among successful athletes. Blood doping is boosting red blood cells which helps people carry more oxygen to their muscles and lungs. Blood doping can be done by blood transfusion or by taking drugs like erythropoietin. Erythropoietin is medically prescribed by doctors for people that don’t make many red blood cells. When people use the medication when it isn’t medically needed it can cause blood clots and death. Sadly, blood doping is what took away Lance Armstrong’s Tour de France titles. There are also many other illegal PEDs that are banned but I have the most popular and well known listed above.

Finally, athletes that were banned or had their title removed from the use of PEDs. Brian Bosworth was an incredible athlete. He played football in the NCAA and the NFL. When Bosworth was in college he was a star athlete. In 1987 he wasn’t allowed to play in the Orange Bowl because he tested positive for steroids. Bosworth was on the sidelines and he wore a shirt that said “National Communist Against Athletes.” The words on his shirt are supposed to stand for NCAA. 1988 Bosworth wrote an autobiography where he wrote about the Sooner football program and he said it “was laden with drug use, gunplay in the athletic dorm, and other wild behavior.” After this was posted it eventually lead to the Sooners head football coach (Barry Switzer) being forced to resign. Another athlete that had it all taken away was Lance Armstrong. Armstrong was a 7 time Tour de France winner but all of those titles were taken away because of blood doping. Blood doping is done by taking a medication that will help carry more oxygen to the muscles and lungs. Blood doping can also be done by blood transfusion or by taking drugs like erythropoietin. Erythropoietin is medically prescribed by doctors for people that don’t make enough red blood cells. When people use the medication when it isn’t medically needed it can cause blood clots and death. Armstrong was seen as a hero until he admitted that he used Erythropoietin on The Oprah Winfrey Show. After that incident of admitting that he cheated he was sued and had his Tour de France titles taken away from him.

In the end, the reason PEDs should be banned is because they give athletes an unfair advantage. The performance enhancers that are classified safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the illegal PEDS that are banned by the NCAA and Olympics commision, and athletes that were banned or had their title removed from the use of PEDs are all reasons why PEDs are unfair and should be banned from sports. PEDs allow athletes to perform above and beyond their natural abilities which leads to an unfair advantage. Again, proving they should be banned from all sports. The next time someone is caught cheating in sports it will most likely be because that they used PEDs to enhance their abilities.