Larry Coles
April 22, 2013
HF&N
Dr. J

Extra Credit Report- Critical Review

Athletes Will Never Stop Using Performance- Enhancing Drugs

This article focuses on the use of performance-enhancing drugs in the sports world. In sports today, there is a high demand for high performance and outcomes due to sponsorships wanting a successful model and professional teams having a “what have you done for me lately” attitude. Professional athletes are under constant pressure to do well and to constantly keep up a high productivity level; thus tempting them to using such supplements as steroids, human growth hormones, and PED’s. Everyone has heard of athletes using steroids or some type of boost to ensure optimal performance. Either to gain an advantage on the competition or to even recover from an injury, performance enhancing drugs (PED) are used in a wide spectrum of situations. In this article it drawls light to a particular athlete who died of heart seizure in 1998, Florence Griffith Joyner ("Flo-Jo"). Flo-Jo was an Olympic medalist who had been speculated to be “doping’ due to her large muscle mass and deep voice. In the world’s greatest games, the pressure from not only your sponsors but also your country to be victorious weighs heavily on one and thus makes the urge to increase potential higher. The article also spotlights baseball player Mark McGwire. McGwire is the first professional athlete to break a record while publicly admitting to using a PED’s. His drug of choice was Androstenedione, used to bulk up muscle and help recovery from injury and fatigue. In 1998, Mark set the Home Run record in a single season and gained great notoriety due to his spectacular achievement. It has since been tainted because of the understanding that the drug was the reason behind his success. I never knew that a person could die from using PED’s. The common side effect to use of steroids is body acne, testicular shrinkage, and uncontrolled emotion (Roid Rage). Flo-Jo’s situation is that of the extreme outcome of drug-based increase of muscle. The article also informed me that unbeknownst to many officials, steroids are being promoted by sponsors to make athletes reach maximum potential. The sponsors are offering millions of dollars for certain criteria that can be