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The stakes in Athens are fierce. The difference between an Olympic gold or silver medal could be a one hundredth of a second on the track or in the pool; an inch on the pole vault or shot put.

The athletes who make the Olympic cut are blessed with the right combination of physical and psychological traits, including an intense competitive drive and an unrelenting determination to be the best. This is the stuff of champions.

Steroids are not just for elite athletes--they can be used by anyone who wants to change his or her body image. The Centers for Disease Control's Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance report shows more than a million youth taking steroids, and the numbers have been rising every year.

Every two years as the Olympic Games begin, we hear about athletes using or at least being tested for performance-enhancing drugs. Every time the Tour de France rolls around, there's talk of possible doping. Sometimes, competitors raise the question when one athlete does particularly well. Other times, tests catch athletes with drugs in their systems. The practice of using artificial substances or methods to enhance athletic performance is called doping. Doping has become such a great concern that the United States formed an Anti-Doping Agency.

Why Some Athletes Use DrugsAthletes face enormous pressure to excel in competition. They also know that winning can reap them more than a gold medal. A star athlete can earn a lot of money and a lot of fame, and athletes only have a short time to do their best work. Athletes know that training is the best path to victory, but they also get the message that some drugs and other practices can boost their efforts and give them a shortcut, even as they risk their health and their athletic careers.

As far back as ancient Greece, athletes have often been willing to take any preparation that would improve their performance. But it appears that drug use increased in the 1960s. One well-publicized incident happened at the Seoul Olympics in 1988 when sprinter Ben Johnson tested positive for anabolic steroids and was stripped of his gold medal. Athletes may also misuse drugs to relax, cope with stress or boost their own confidence. Athletes may have several reasons for using performance-enhancing drugs. An athlete may want to: Build mass and strength of muscles and/or bones Increase delivery of oxygen to exercising tissues Mask pain Stimulate the body Relax Reduce weight Hide use of other drugs

Some athletes choose to use "anabolic" (or growth-promoting) steroids in the hopes of improving athletic performance

Steroids are substances that your body makes naturally in the form of hormones.

These are examples of steroids requiring physician prescription which are banned in sport competition:

A Crisis In Swimming - A lot has been said and written about drugs in sport. With each passing year, there are more and more of athletes caught taking banned drugs/chemicals that enhance sport performance. In the recent Tour de France cycling race, almost half of the urine samples yielded traces of banned substances. An underlying inference is that anyone who tests positive for drugs is a cheat.

A lot has been said and written about drugs in sport. With each passing year, there are more and more of athletes caught taking banned drugs/chemicals that enhance sport performance. In the recent Tour de France cycling race, almost half of the urine samples yielded traces of banned substances. An underlying inference is that anyone who tests positive for drugs is a cheat.

hletes using steroids or hormones to add muscle are playing an even more dangerous game with their health, Wojtys says. And concerns are growing. One alarming study reported that adolescent use of steroids is on the rise, according to The National Institute on Drug Abuse

On December 13, 2007, former Senate majority leader George Mitchell (D-Maine) released a report to the commissioner of baseball stating that the New York Yankees' starting pitcher, Roger Clemens, and others, had illegally used performance enhancing substances during their major league baseball careers. Clemens, also known as "The Rocket," is a seven-time Cy Young Award winner and has been strongly considered for the Baseball Hall of Fame; however, Mitchell's report has damaged his reputation. The report has also hurt the careers of those around him, including his then-fitness trainer, Brian McNamee. McNamee testified against Clemens and reported that he had personally injected Clemens with steroids, testosterone, and human growth hormone. Clemens has vehemently denied these allegations, stating that he has never tested positive for these substances and is merely a victim of slander and attack. While Clemens's alleged use of steroids has garnered a high level of media attention, it is only a small part of the performance enhancing drug controversy.

Anabolic steroid use increases heart attack risk and causes liver damage

Persistent reports of anabolic steroid abuse by professional athletes, many of whom are regarded as role models by young people, highlight the fact that we are now facing a very damaging message in our society—that bigger is better, and being the best is more important than how you get there.

The Wrong Way to Win › Introduction to The Wrong Way to Win › Why Do Athletes Use Performance-enhancing Drugs? › Masking Pain and Managing Weight and Stress › Detecting Drugs Why Do Athletes Use Performance-enhancing Drugs?

An athlete may want to: Build mass and strength of muscles and/or bones Increase delivery of oxygen to exercising tissues Mask pain Stimulate the body Hide use of other drugs

Many drugs are banned outright in Olympic competitions. However, some drugs, such as cortisone and local anesthetics, are merely restricted because they have legitimate clinical uses. Athletes may also misuse drugs to reduce weight, relax, cope with stress or boost their own confidence. Whatever the reason, doping has many unsafe if not deadly side effects.

who studies the link between steroid use and aggression, has recently found evidence that use of anabolic steroids may have long-term effects on behavior and aggression levels well after they stop abusing these performance enhancing drugs.

Anabolic steroid use increases heart attack risk and causes liver damage

The confidential survey found that a majority of the students in grades 8 through 12 who admitted to using anabolic steroids say they would use a pill or powder to reach their athletic goals, even if it would harm their health or shorten their life.

According to an anonymous Soviet coach, "Perhaps 90% of sportsmen, including our own, use drugs"

   There are many types of performance enhancing drugs.  One common form of performance enhancing drugs is anabolic steroids