As an athlete, understanding the implications of doping in your life is essential. Aside from getting disqualified and having your career terminated as a result of using such substances, there are lots of other health complications from which you could suffer.
Health Complications
Substances that have anti-estrogenic elements
When the estrogen in your body gets limited, you stand to suffer from conditions such as the gaining of weight, the experiencing of hot flushes, retention of fluids in the body, eye disorders, liver problems, cardiovascular problems as well as the deterioration of your bones.
Alcohol
Some people use alcohol to increase their performance and self-confidence. Before you go down this route, remember that it comes with side effects such as drowsiness, damage to the liver, vomiting, reduced breathing, memory loss, and loss of comprehension, poor judgment, and slurred speech. You can also get addicted to it, leading to struggles in the future as you try to break the habit.
Anabolic steroids
The effects that athletes get from using these drugs can either be short-term or irreversible. These substances act like hormones, and they affect the normal functioning of the hormones in your body, and this is problematic when they get used for extended periods.
Their effects include liver damage, an increase in blood pressure, a high risk of cardiovascular problems and addiction.
For males using such drugs, they stand to suffer from the shrinking of testicles, impotence, a reduction in the level of sperm production, baldness, and liver damage, acne and libido problems. For females, they are likely to develop acne, a deep voice, a change in their menstrual cycles, an enlarged clitoris, mood swings, increase of hair growth on the body, libido changes as well as aggression. Women using these drugs tend to develop male features, and this can become irreversible if an athlete takes the steroids for a prolonged time.
Adolescents taking such substances get severe acne, start puberty at an early stage, and they suffer from stunted growth due to the rapid onset of puberty.
Oxygen carriers
It is hard for people to measure the adequate amounts of such chemicals and as such, people end up taking more than they should which results in adverse effects. Some problems arising from the use of perfluorocarbons include the development of a fever, an infection in the blood, diarrhea, and stroke, the reduction in the number of platelets, embolism, and irritability.
For users of chemicals that carry hemoglobin, they stand to suffer from an increase in blood pressure, damage to the kidneys, and an increase in iron in the system and the constriction of blood vessels.
Beta-blockers
These chemicals affect users in the following ways: a reduced heart rate that can lead to heart failure, the development of depression, disorders in sleep patterns and sexual functions, fatigue and the contraction of blood vessels.
Beta 2 agonists
Side effects that you are likely to get from the use of these chemicals are headaches, sweating, dizziness, and the alteration of moods together with nausea and muscle cramps.
Blood doping
If you decide to dope your blood, there are many risks involved, some of which can be fatal. They include poisoning of blood, the development of blood clots, allergic reactions, and jaundice.
Cannabinoids
These drugs give similar effects to those of a drunken person, and they can make you hallucinate and lose perception of what is going on around you. You also lose the ability to carry out tasks efficiently, and you lose concentration as you go about activities. Other effects include an increase in the heart rate, loss of balance and an increase in appetite. Your moods also become unstable, and they quickly change from elation to depression.
Prolonged use of these products can cause respiratory problems, dependence, and a weak immune system.
Diuretics
The use of such substances can result in cramps, a reduction in the blood pressure and a loss of balance. They also get associated with dehydration and moodiness.
As you can see, using such substances is detrimental to your health, and you should avoid them for your good. Some of the chemicals used to enhance performance can lead to death which would be the end of your career. Make the right choice today and compete fairly.