Biomechanics

By Amanda Brunner

Cheaters Never Win

Just in time for some Tour de France inspired conspiracy theory, this month we are going to take a look at some of the means athletes resort to in effort to get the edge over their competition: Specifically, the many different types of hormone replacements commonly used to improve performance. Some of these techniques include the often publicized use of steroids, human growth hormone supplements, and even the injecting of red blood cells into the body! Needless to say, all of these methods are greatly discouraged.

Steroid use is the most common athletic enhancement. The intention, of course, is to strengthen the muscle tissue in a short period of time. And while this may sound like a rather risk free endeavor, the long term disadvantages far outweigh the immediate gains; Truth in the expression, what's good today can be bad tomorrow.

For starters, steroids are highly addictive and loaded with undesirable side-effects. They are proven to cause both breast development and sterility in males. Female users develop a deeper voice, hairiness in chest region, and a more masculine physique. Steroid use is also quite traumatic to the various systems of the body. The kidneys, liver and heart are especially affected and are prone to damage. High cholesterol can also result from steroid use due to the fact they raise LDL and lower HDL which is the opposite of a healthy cholesterol profile. Lesser known to the public is the fact that steroids can also cause many psychiatric disorders including delusions, depression, and violent tendencies. As if all of the physical disadvantages aren’t reason enough to steer clear of the substance, simple urine tests can reveal levels in the body that can result in being banned from a sanctioned event.

Another popular enhancement athletes have discovered is induction of human growth hormone (HGH) into the system to enlarge muscle mass. Typically (and dangerously) they are often used in conjunction with steroids. In fact the HGH does not function without steroid supplements. HGH is used by prescription for children born with dwarfism, but can be obtained from other countries illegally. HGH has a half-life of seventeen to forty-five minutes, which makes it undetectable in body fluids within an hour. This hormone is basically simply a “steroid enhancer” and as a result involves all of the same health risks with the addition of added strain to the system.

The last technique is not only very invasive but proves the measures of desperation some athletes will resort to in effort to get the leading edge. Red blood cells carry oxygen to muscles. Therefore, increasing the number of red blood cells can theoretically increase oxygen delivery to muscles and thereby enhance endurance. People label making use of this technique “blood doping.” The process would work as follows: Athletes would have blood removed a month before a race and put on ice, then right before the race they would have the blood re-infused back into the body causing a massive boost in the red blood supply. Some athletes go as far as to take EPO (erythropoietin), a drug used in low doses for people with anemia. EPO causes the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells. Using this type of hormone for athletic gains is especially dangerous as it has been proven to cause heart attacks and death in more than two dozen cyclists from the Netherlands.

Taking unnecessary hormones is a risky business. Without a doubt the safest most health conducive means of body development is the natural way. Increase endurance with aerobic exercises and increase muscle strength by focusing on individual muscle groups with weight/ resistance training. Relying upon enhancement methods is not only cheating, but dangerous to one’s health as well.