The Benefits of Performance Enhancing Drugs Among Athletes

Since the dawn of the twenty-first century, performance enhancing drugs have become a religious practice in “the lives of some sport figures.” The use of these supplements have given the user an edge, an edge to perform at maximum capability. Most major athletes all agree on the fact that the competitive drive to win can be quite intense. Besides the satisfaction of personal accomplishment, athletes commonly pursue high hopes of attaining a medal, a college scholarship or the once in a lifetime opportunity to play on a professional team. In such an environment, the use of performance-enhancing drugs has become increasingly common (Athletes & Drug Use). For most athletes, winning at all costs includes taking performance-enhancing drugs. The general public has to now realize that the use of performance-enhancing substances in athletics has increased at every level of competition and should not pose a serious problem in today's society. Although most people think that by taking performance-enhancing drugs, one poses health risks to their bodies. Despite what people say, the highly popular supplements consumed by most athletes are exceptionally beneficial.

First, however, this essay shall discuss why performance-enhancing drugs are commonly used among athletes. In all aspects of sports, professional, college, and high school, there is extensive use of performance-enhancing drugs. One of the most common reasons athletes choose to use performance-enhancing drugs is to bulk up in mass or “get big.”(Gerdes 6) In most instances athletes have a certain criteria or benchmark that needs to be met. For instance, linemen either offensive or defensive in the National Football League cannot weigh 175 pounds, so they may use performance-enhancin...

... middle of paper ...

...a part of athletes and sports. The use of such drugs provides athletes opportunities in career, salary, performance, and ability to outshine. With advancement in technology, performance-enhancing drugs delivers superior athletes among all sports.

Works Cited

Athletes and drug use. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2009.

"Drugs in Sport: Debatabase - Debate Topics and Debate Motions." IDEA: International Debate Education Association - Debate Resources & Debate Tools. Web. 22 Nov. 2009.

Gerdes, Louise I. Performance Enhancing Drugs (At Issue Series). New York: Greenhaven, 2007.

Mayo Clinic, 23 Dec. 2008. Web. 19 Nov. 2009.

Mayo Clinic Staff. "Performance-Enhancing Drugs: Are they A Risk to Your Health?" Fitness.

Rosen, Daniel M. Dope a history of performance enhancement in sports from the nineteenth cen tury to today. Westport, Conn: Praeger Pub., 2008.