Quote from Alex bobby on July 26, 2025, 1:31 PM

How Does Doping Affect Athletes' Health in the Long and Short Term?

This weekend, sports fans are spoiled for choice: the World Aquatics Championships are making waves in Singapore, the Tour de France is set for a dramatic conclusion, and the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 final between Spain and England is creating buzz in Basel. While each of these prestigious events celebrates peak athletic performance, they all share one unifying theme—strict anti-doping protocols.

As athletes push the limits of human ability, anti-doping agencies work tirelessly to ensure competitions remain fair and clean. Yet, despite ongoing efforts by organisations like the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), some athletes still turn to performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) in search of a competitive edge. But at what cost? The health risks associated with doping are well documented in some cases, while in others, the science is still catching up. Let’s explore both the short- and long-term health effects of some of the most commonly used doping substances.

An Important Starting Point

Before diving into the specific risks, it’s crucial to understand a few foundational aspects:

1. Not all banned substances are banned due to health risks: For a drug or method to be listed by WADA, it must meet at least two out of three criteria: performance enhancement, health risk, or violation of the spirit of sport. Health risk is only one factor.
2. Studying doping is ethically and scientifically challenging: Due to ethical constraints, researchers cannot expose participants to high-risk substances in controlled studies. This limits the depth of research.
3. It’s a relatively new field: Many PEDs are recent innovations, and long-term studies on their effects are limited or ongoing.
4. Multiple factors influence outcomes: Genetics, lifestyle, and environmental conditions can all influence how PEDs affect an athlete’s body, making cause-and-effect conclusions difficult.
5. Polydrug use complicates research: Athletes often combine multiple banned substances, making it hard to isolate the health impact of individual drugs.

Anabolic Steroids: Muscle Gains, Cardiac Strains

Anabolic steroids are arguably the most well-researched PEDs, particularly used in power sports like sprinting or weightlifting. These substances speed up protein synthesis in muscles, promoting rapid gains in size and strength.

However, they come with serious side effects. According to Astrid Kristine Bjørnebekk, leader of the Anabolic Androgenic Steroid Research Group at Oslo University Hospital, steroids can enlarge the heart muscle, stiffen ventricular walls, and ultimately lead to heart failure. Some studies suggest these cardiac effects may persist for years, even after stopping the drug.

Steroids also disrupt hormone production and may lead to long-term mental health issues. Reduced brain volume in the cerebral cortex has been found among users, though more research is needed to understand the significance.

Erythropoietin (EPO) and Blood Doping: Boosted Endurance, Hidden Dangers

EPO is a hormone that increases red blood cell production, improving oxygen delivery to muscles—an invaluable advantage in endurance sports like cycling and marathon running. Blood doping achieves similar effects by rein-fusing stored blood back into the body.

These methods are not without risks. Elevated red blood cell counts can cause blood thickening, increasing the chance of clots, strokes, and heart attacks. The case of Lance Armstrong, who admitted to using EPO during his Tour de France dominance, brought global attention to the issue.

Still, the long-term effects of EPO and blood doping remain somewhat unclear. While early reports linked EPO use to numerous athlete deaths, subsequent studies found insufficient evidence to confirm those claims definitively. This illustrates the complexity of establishing direct health consequences.

Beta Blockers: Calming the Nerves, At a Cost

Beta blockers are lesser-known PEDs but are banned in sports requiring high precision, like shooting and archery. They reduce heart rate and tremors, giving athletes steadier control.

Although widely used for heart conditions in clinical settings, side effects include fatigue, dizziness, and even erectile dysfunction. Some long-term studies also suggest a link between chronic beta blocker use and Parkinson’s disease, but specific data on athletic use is limited.

One notable doping case involves North Korean shooter Kim Jong-su, who tested positive during the 2008 Beijing Olympics and was stripped of two medals.

The Ongoing Challenge

The scientific community continues to face significant hurdles in understanding the full impact of doping on health. Ethical restrictions limit experimental research, while athletes’ use of combinations of substances makes data harder to interpret. Nonetheless, what we do know is clear: PEDs carry very real and potentially long-lasting health risks.

Final Thought

As the pressure to excel in competitive sports intensifies, the temptation to resort to performance-enhancing drugs remains a persistent challenge. While doping may offer short-term gains, the long-term consequences on physical and mental health can be severe and irreversible. From heart failure linked to steroids to potential neurological effects from beta blockers, the risks far outweigh the rewards. Athletes, fans, and governing bodies must continue to champion clean sport—not only for fairness but for the health and well-being of those who inspire us through their performance.

Conclusion

Performance-enhancing drugs may offer short-term glory, but they often come with long-term consequences. From heart failure and hormonal imbalances to cognitive decline and increased disease risk, the physical toll can be severe. While some athletes still see doping as a shortcut to success, the costs—in terms of both health and legacy—are becoming increasingly evident. As global competitions move forward under strict anti-doping frameworks, the hope is that future athletes will choose longevity and integrity over dangerous enhancements.

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Doping may boost short-term performance, but it carries serious health risks. Learn how steroids, EPO, and beta blockers affect athletes' bodies in the short and long term.