Athletes should not perform-enhancing drugs
By Zayvion W.
Performance-enhancing drugs are defined by Wikipedia as “substances that are used to improve any form of activity performance in humans.” Examples include anabolic steroids that can be used to improve athletic performance and build muscle, athletic performance-enhancing substances are sometimes referred to as ergogenic aids, and cognitive performance-enhancing drugs, commonly called nootropics. Using these PEDs is called doping. PEDs are bad for the body in the long run, especially when an athlete takes them in large quantities over an extended period of time. The most popular drug to take for an athlete is steroids. Many athletes take anabolic steroids at doses that are too high. These doses are much higher than those that health care providers use for medical reasons. Steroids have serious side effects too. Some people think steroids are bad and not healthy for your body but others think that it is helpful for athletes to use. In general, despite how common doping can sometimes seem, athletes should not take PEDs.
The first reason why steroids are bad for athletes is because drugs will affect the athlete's performance by helping at the first and hurting in the long run. They may boost your strength and add more muscle quickly, but they are dangerous and negative for athletes causing health issues later on including strokes. According to the National Institute of Health, the long-term physical health consequences of misusing anabolic steroids, for example, can be cardiovascular issues like high blood pressure, hormonal imbalances that can result in baldness or even growth of breasts on males, liver tumors or hepatitis, and being really short.
In addition to physical health consequences, doping can also lead to mental side effects. The NIH reports that psychiatric effects such as aggression, mania, and delusions can result from anabolic steroids.
Most importantly, drugs take away from the honesty of the game. Like how Tom Simpson got caught cheating after his death after the Tour de France there were tubes of amphetamines in his jersey and an autopsy found traces of amphetamines. An official report related that the drugs Simson took made it possible for him to push himself into an overworked and dehydrated state. It’s basically cheating what he did. Sports should involve honest competition.
Some people can say why steroids are good because they help build muscle tissues and increase body mass can improve competitiveness and performance, but Jay J. from AHS said that "doing steroids is dumb because of the outcome and the damage it can do it your body." Gavin B. says, "Steroids should be legal because of how many athletes had died because of using it." In other words, if they were legal but better regulated, deaths might be prevented.
In conclusion, there is no simple solution to this problem, but my opinion has now been shared.