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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Before his epic fall from grace, Lance Armstrong finishes the Power of Four Mountain Bike Race on Aspen Mountain in August 2012 in Colorado. Armstrong admitted to doping just two months later. Riccardo S. Savi/Getty Images In October 2012, after years of speculation and repeated denials on his part, renowned cyclist Lance Armstrong admitted to doping. He took erythropoietin, testosterone, hGH, blood transfusions — any performance-enhancing drug that would give him more strength, more endurance and a faster recovery so he could win. And win he did. Armstrong won seven consecutive Tour de France titles and an Olympic bronze in his decorated cycling career. He was stripped of them all. It was hardly an isolated incident. Almost every professional sport — from weightlifting to baseball to archery — has been scandalized by claims of doping. And many sports heroes have been dethroned as a result. Contents What are Performance-enhancing Drugs? Erythropoietin (EPO) Human Growth Hormone (hGH) Bromantane Ephedrine Diuretics Asthma Drugs Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) Beta Blockers Tamoxifen Creatine What are Performance-enhancing Drugs? Athletes and others use performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) to increase strength, endurance, recovery and other physical abilities beyond what is considered natural for the individual. The intention behind using these drugs is to gain a competitive edge or enhance one's physical appearance. Anabolic steroids are among the most popular PEDs of choice. Chemicals in this special class of steroids, which include testosterone, androstenediol, androstenedione, nandrolone and stanozolol, are credited with increasing muscle mass and strength, but drug tests can easily detect anabolic steroid abuse. In the 1980s and '90s, however, other doping alternatives started appearing on the scene. Now there are numerous PEDs that aren't classified as steroids. Their effects are quite varied, and some only benefit certain athletes playing certain sports. That makes it extremely tricky for regulatory agencies like the International Cycling Union and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to keep up — and to keep drugs out of competing athletes. Today, WADA prohibits more than 192 PEDs to some degree. New ones are constantly being developed, as are the methods used to detect them. 10. Erythropoietin
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