Performance Enhancing Drug Effects

The use of performance-enhancing drugs has become increasingly popular as athletes compete for scholarships, medals, money and coveted spots on professional teams, report Mayo Clinic doctors. Drugs that are used by both male and female athletes to give them an edge over their competition include anabolic-androgenic steroids, diuretics, stimulants and creatine. Each drug, whether natural or man-made, comes with its own set of side effects. While they do reap some of the desired benefits, most physicians and sports trainers report that the dangerous performance-enhancing drug effects outweigh any short-term benefits.

Developmental Problems

Many athletes turn to anabolic-androgenic steroids to improve muscle strength and body mass. The steroids have many of the same effects as straight testosterone, taken by still other athletes. Steroids that have medicinal purposes are used in such high doses that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could never test the effects because it would be too dangerous. Side effects reported by athletes who have used steroids to enhance their fitness routines include prominent breast formation and shrinking testicles in men and a deeper voice and increase of body hair in women. Men and women can experience aggressive behavior, depression, liver damage and impaired growth.

Dehydration

Athletes who want to lose weight quickly often turn to diuretics to reduce their water weight. Diuretics also are used by some athletes to dilute their urine to pass mandatory drug tests, leaving them more vulnerable to serious side effects from mixing drugs. The fluid depletion created by the pills also leads to an imbalance of electrolytes, which in turns causes dehydration. Signs of dehydration include cramping, dizziness and irregular heart beats. Taking large doses of diuretics can cause a drastic drop in blood pressure and death.

Digestive Disorders

Some performance-enhancing drugs play havoc with the digestive system when taken as supplements instead of through a healthy diet. Supplements such as creatine are made to mimic the body's natural compound that provides bursts of energy that can be useful in many sports. One of the biggest dangers of taking any supplement is the chance that it may be contaminated with other harmful substances, such as synthetic steroids, that could trigger a positive reading on a drug test, reports the FDA. Known side effects of creatine include cramps, diarrhea and nausea. Long-term use can cause kidney and liver damage.

Addiction

Performance-enhancing drugs can form both physical and psychological addictions that will negatively impact an athlete's performance and career. Stimulants that work to energize the body's central nervous system and pump up the heart and blood pressure are highly addictive, leading to higher and higher doses. Side effects of stimulant use include hypertension, heart abnormalities, insomnia and convulsions.