9781422288061

Contents

Introduction

7

1. What is doping?

10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26

2. What is the downside of doping?

3. Why do athletes take performance-enhancing drugs? 4. What are some of the most common drugs and substances used to enhance athletic performance?

5. What are steroids?

6. Why are steroids so dangerous? 7. What is human growth hormone?

8. Why is HGH dangerous? 9. What is blood doping?

10. Why is blood doping dangerous? 28 11. What are other performance-enhancing drugs and substances? 30 12. Why are these other performance-enhancing drugs dangerous? 32 13. What nutritional supplements do athletes use— and why can they be a problem? 34 14. What about “healthy” things, like vitamins and protein powders? 36 15. Is doping against the law? 38 16. What happened to famous athletes that got caught doping? (Was it really that bad?) 40 Further Reading 42 Find Out More on the Internet 43 Glossary 44 Index 46 Picture Credits 47 About the Author and the Consultant 48