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Doping in sports debate
Doping in sports debate
Essay on blood doping
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Running the Race to Obtain the Prize?
Each year athlete’s ability to perform seems to increase by leaps and bounds. Some reasons for this can be attributed to better training methods, better conditioning techniques, and better over all health of the athlete. While most situations involve one or more of the previously scenarios, some athletes always seem to take it to a step further. They engage in a process called blood doping. This procedure does increase physical performance and athletic ability, but potentially may do more harm than good.
For purpose of emphasis and understanding, some background information is needed to fully understand exactly what blood doping can do for an individual. In order for muscles to perform, they need a ready supply of oxygen. During high intensity exercise, oxygen is depleted and the body can not get enough oxygen to the muscle in order for them to perform their optimal potential. This lack of ability to get oxygen to the muscle is called oxygen debt and results in lactic acid being formed. Lactic acid is a waste product of anaerobic cellular respiration within the muscle tissue, which can cause muscle sourness that, usually, is felt after a hard or long workout. Fatigue usually sets in with the onset of lactic acid production. Oxygen is carried to the muscle by two delivery systems. Three percent of oxygen is carried in plasma and ninety-seven percent is in hemoglobin, the principal protein in erythrocytes (red blood cells). If hemoglobin amounts are increased, this will lead to increased oxygen levels that can be transported to the muscles. Allowing the muscles to become more fatigue resistant.
Blood doping could have opposite effect of those intended. A large infusion of red blood cells could increase blood thickness and cause a decrease in cardiac output and a reduction in oxygen content. Both would reduce aerobic capacity. The human heart was not designed to pump thickened blood throughout the body and, therefore, it could lead to a multitude of problems. The diseases that can be contracted from autologous blood transfusion are severe. Even more frightening is the list of diseases that can be contracted through homologous blood transfusion. It includes hepatitis, AIDS, malaria, and CMV. In addition, shock is a factor to be aware of.
All blood doping procedures used in attempt to improve athletic performance is unethical and unfair. Taking a risk like blood doping to win a race is sad.
Citius, Altius, Fortius is the motto of the Olympic games. Translated from Greek, it means "Faster, Higher, Stronger". Recently, Olympic contenders have been doing everything they can to live up to that motto. Most do it by training hour after hour, each day. Others try to do it by illegally taking performance enhancing drugs. This is why we need to test for drugs at the Olympics. Drug Testing in the Olympics began only recently in the 1968 Games held in Mexico1. Drugs are banned for two very good reasons: the use of drugs produces an unfair advantage, and it is hazardous to the athlete to take them. While drug testing is now commonplace, the procedures are still fairly primitive and arouse much controversy2. We all remember the Andreea Raducan situation from the Sydney Olympics. She unknowingly had consumed a performing enhancing drug that was in her cold medication. Her medal was revoked as soon as the drug test results got back.3 While Andreea was caught, many others who intentionally "doped up" weren't Many of the drugs or procedures out there, still can't be tested for, and more and more athletes are cheating. Most of the drugs and procedures have adverse long term effects, some resulting in death. The drug tests are detrimental to the existence of the Olympics and need to be upheld at all costs.
Throughout this essay five points have been presented which highlighted what Erythropoietin is, how it works, what its benefits are compared to its potential side effects and its overall use in professional sport. Its function as a red blood cell producer and regulator are essential to ensure that our muscles, organs and brain have enough oxygen and nutrients flowing into it at all times. The invention of an artificial version of Erythropoietin has ensured a viable treatment for some conditions but has also opened up the possibly of unethical use in sports. The health risks incurred with use of r-HuEPO especially in the long term mean that its risks far outweigh any minor perceived benefit for athletes and as such should only be used for prescribed medical reasons.
I. The effect of performance enhancement drugs on track and field athletes poses physical problems for the athletes.
Abstract: Since the beginning of sports competition, athletes have always looked for some kind of edge over their competitors. They will do whatever it takes to be one of the elite, and that includes injecting supplements into their bodies to make them bigger, stronger, and faster. Steroid use is probably one of the most common drug misuses in sports competition. Athletes found that with anabolic steroids, one could become a better athlete twice as fast. Not until 1975 was the drug first banned from Olympic competition because of the health risks it produced.
Doping is the use of illegal substances that is harmful to athlete's health and is capable of enhancing performance. Doping also refers to the presence of drugs in the athlete's blood or urine. So, doping in other words is cheating and can be detrimental to the individual reputation and the sport. There are two types of doping blood and chemical. Blood doping is when drugs are placed into red blood cells, oxygen carriers, and related blood products to enhance an athlete's performance (1 Anonymous). Effects of blood doping include kidney damage, allergic reactions, and blood clots (1Anonymous). Chemical doping refers to attempts to change samples used in drug testing (1Anonymous). Despite the many risks the use of drugs among athletes is still prevalent.
In today’s age, performance enhancing drugs have become more advanced than just some special herbs and spices. Scientists today have found ways to manipulate elements to help provide muscle mass and stamina. Some types of performance enhancing drugs are human growth hormones (HGH), testosterone boosters, anabolic steroids etc. When taking HGH, a person might experience results such as an increase in muscle mass, an increase in bone density, and a reduced fat content in the body (Freudenrich). The same results could be found when you take anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids have been sought after to athletes and bodybuilders because they increase the size and strength of muscles. They also increase aggressiveness and competitiveness, which can be desirable traits in sports (Helmenstine). On different occasions such as a cyclist or a long distance runner, these athletes will store some of their red blood cells when their hemoglobin is high. The athlete will then train and work as usual, but right before the athlete competes they will transfuse the blood they took out back into their body therefore creating more red blood cells to ...
This causes more oxygen to be carried to the muscles in the user, than any other non-blood doping person. Blood doping is when you remove blood from your body, then reinject it a day or two before your game.... ... middle of paper ... ...
There may be natural unfair advantages in sports, but when taking performance-enhancing drugs, athletes gain an unfair advantage not needed in sports. PEDs create many advantages deemed unfair, one of which is endurance, achieved through blood doping. Rather than increasing their endurance through training and exercising, some athletes turn to blood doping. Erythropoietin (EPO) is the most common form of blood doping. This steroid increases oxygen movement throughout the muscles to improve stamina and endurance. Blood doping boosts red blood cell numbers, which are used to transport oxygen to muscles from the lungs, and more oxygen in the blood will improve endurance (“NIDA Blog Team”). Blood doping has a huge impact on athletes and gives an
In the 2016 Summer Olympic games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, 11,544 athletes from 207 different countries competed in 41 different competitions and sports. These athletes had trained for these games since the 2012 Olympics in London, England. For four years, veteran and newcomers have worked very hard to qualify for the Olympics, preparing to prove themselves and earn medals, or defend old titles. During training, these athletes diet and workout in order to be in the best shape physically and mentally. Despite this preparation, many athletes feel the need to take the risk of using steroids or performance enhancing drug. Increased steroid use among Olympic athletes has led to more frequent drug testing and comes with the risks of losing any medals won, being denied the opportunity to compete, health repercussions, and negative effects on an athlete's and
Ignoring other factors that may set into motion the causes for doping or any educational preventive measures, Herman puts Olympic doping data on the table for careful scrutiny. In many ways, these conclusive statistical findings are crucial in determining the next step after the ethical considerations of nootropics. If we are to deem nootropics unethical we need to examine what other systems have done to prevent similar types of cheating and to what extent their effectiveness is. After reviewing the data, Herman concludes that, “Testing is not economically viable for effective detection.” This statement is consistent with what Cakic and Greely et al. have stated in their articles over the ethical considerations of nootropics. Due to the lack of hard evidence in the area of nootropics, I need to attempt to extrapolate data from elsewhere and apply it to the subject. This will aid in my literature review by adding solid evidence to the otherwise unsupported claims of drug usage in the face of massive hurtles. As seen by these athletes, people are already willing to get an edge on competition by way of pills, injections and supplements; thus setting to rest the counter argument against this
Now by doing this project I am actually mentally thinking of all aspects of blood donation. The actual process of blood donation and the benefits other people will get from that blood.
First of all, what is doping? There are many different types of doping, such as amphetamines, steroids, and blood doping. Blood doping is the use of substances that make your blood carry more oxygen. This can happen either by increasing the number of red cells in your system, or by improving the oxygen-carrying capacity of the red cells in the blood. It occurs via blood transfusions, or pills, which are often used to fight diseases ranging from anemia to cancer(“Blood Doping” )
Blood type is defined by presence or absence of certain antigens on surface of red blood cells (RBCs) named antigens A, B, O or Rh (D). Depending on which antigen is present on plasma membrane of RBCs person will have certain antibodies present in plasma. Blood type A has antibodies for type B blood. Type B blood has anti-A antibodies, and type O blood has anti A and B antibodies. Knowing information about blood type of patient is extremely important during blood transfusion because antibodies for certain blood type attack antigens present on RBC of foreign blood causing agglutination - clumping of RBCs. So blood cells with antigen A on their surface membrane will be affected by antibodies A, RBCs with antigen B will react with antibodies B and RBCs with antigen Rh will react with Rh antibodies. If recipient with type A will be given blood which contains antibodies A (types B and O) agglutination will occur and lethal outcome is possible. It is important t...
During intense competition, an athlete will often try to push their body its maximum potential. There are many factors that influence this potential, and a study of the human body and how it functions can greatly aid an athlete in maximizing their performance. In this paper, I will discuss current issues that are related to sports and athletics, and how a knowledge of these issues can help one assess what can make an athlete successful – or not. First, I will discuss functional foods and dietary supplements. Next, I will summarize the ever-recurring issue of drug abuse among athletes. This will be followed by a summary of genetic testing. After that, the dangers of head trauma will be investigated. Finally, I will discuss BMI and its utility as a measure of health. As someone who did four years of cross country and track in high school, and remains active in playing sports today, I find that these
Turning sports into a way of life instead of a leisure activity has generated fierce competition for athletes to be the best at what they do. Having a "natural ability" no longer is enough. One must work long and hard hours to gain an edge on the competition. However, these days, even good training cannot guarantee a victory. For athletes and coaches the drive to be at the top is so great that they look for shortcuts to their end goal: winning. The one who wins is always the one who is remembered in the end; finishing second is worse than finishing last. When this type of attitude becomes predominant, it is not so surprising that they try any and all methods of cheating the system. In this way, doping has become a common practice for athletes to gain advantage on their competition. Is this a practice that we as the general public should accept, or is there something we can do to change the status quo?