A 2009 report published in the journal "Drug Testing and Analysis" suggests that illicit drug use pervades professional and recreational sports. Substances such as anabolic steroids and growth hormone can improve athletic abilities and hasten injury recovery. These substances may help combat normal aging and heal burn victims as well. Performance-enhancing drugs also cause adverse reactions like increases in glucose intolerance and changes in blood pressure. They may also cause diabetes.
Athletic Performance
Few studies have scientifically evaluated the claim that illicit substances improve athletic performance. Anecdotal data permeates the literature, because using these drugs often constitutes a crime. A 2010 study presented in the "Annals of Internal Medicine" looked at the effects of anabolic steroids and growth hormone administration in recreational athletes. Results indicate that these substances improved cardiovascular performance as measured by sprint capacity in men and women. Effects disappeared within six weeks of ending the treatment. The small sample size tested in this experiment prevented conclusions about side effects.
Body Composition
Anabolic steroids and growth hormone intake may enhance muscle and reduce weight. Data from the same 2010 study also show that performance-enhancing drugs improved body composition. A 2002 investigation in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" supports these findings. Men and women given anabolic steroids and growth hormone had greater lean body mass and lower total body fat than control subjects. Yet adverse reactions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, joint pain, glucose intolerance and edema often appeared during treatment.
Muscle Strength
While typically associated with athletic competition, performance-enhancing drug use can play a positive role in normal aging. A 2009 experiment described in the "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism" tested the use of exogenous testosterone and growth hormone in older men. After four months of transdermal administration, these drugs improved muscle strength at least 14 percent. Exogenous testosterone and growth hormone raised blood pressure by about 10 units, but medication intake caused no other side effects.
Injury Recovery
Steroid and hormone use hastens recovery from injury in both athletes and burn victims. A 1999 study offered in the medical journal "Burns" looked at the effects of synthetic testosterone or growth hormone intake in patients recovering from severe trauma. Results show that both treatments increased the healing rate, and each facilitated a successful recovery. However, growth-hormone use caused hyperglycemia or high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes Risk
Performance-enhancing drugs may cause changes in the body's ability to regulate sugar. Side effects such as glucose intolerance and hyperglycemia often appear after using anabolic steroids and growth hormone. A 2007 case study documents this risk in a 36-year-old bodybuilder. The man displayed symptoms such as kidney failure and liver inflammation following 15 years of steroid and hormone use. Diagnosed with diabetes, the patient received successful treatment with insulin and crystalloid.
References
- National Center for Biotechnology Information: Growth Hormone and Anabolic Steroids
- National Center for Biotechnology Information: The Effects of Growth Hormone on Body Composition and Physical Performance in Recreational Athletes
- National Center for Biotechnology Information: Growth Hormone and Sex Steroid Administration in Healthy Aged Women and Men
- National Center for Biotechnology Information: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism: Testosterone and Growth Hormone Improve Body Composition and Muscle Performance in Older Men
- National Center for Biotechnology Information: Comparison of the Anabolic Effects and Complications of Human Growth Hormone and the Testosterone Analog, Oxandrolone, after Severe Burn Injury
