Performance-enhancing drugs, as the name suggests, are typical drugs that can be taken to increase performance. These drugs are basically steroids taken by athletes and sportsmen who are true professionals. Additionally, some other hormonal drugs, including human growth hormone stimulants, can also be considered performance-enhancing drugs.

These enhancers were first used by the ancient Greeks and were ingested by participants in sporting events. However, these drugs have been recognized as a threat and, since the 20th century, certain technologies have been developed to screen and test athletes on a regular basis for the presence of such drugs in their bloodstream. These boosters have been banned ever since.

Performance-enhancing drugs: The phrase is only used to refer to certain anabolic steroids or their relevant precursors in general, but the world of anti-doping organizations has a broader description for these drugs. These typical buffs also have different classes:

Stimulants: These medications are used by athletes to enhance their performance in their particular fields and also stimulate the bodies to perform at their best. Stimulants can also help increase awareness, alertness, and aggressiveness and decrease fatigue. Some of the commonly used stimulants are amphetamines and caffeine.

Lean Mass Builders: These typical performance enhancers are used to amplify or fuel the growth and development of lean body mass and muscle. These can also help reduce body fat. These belong to the category of anabolic steroids and the ones that are commonly used are beta-2 agonists and various other human hormones such as human growth hormones.

Sedatives: These enhancers are also used by athletes who play sports like archery that require a steady hand and precise aim as well. Sedatives help to cope with nervousness and anxiety. Marijuana, beta blockers, and alcohol are some of the common examples.

Analgesics: These medications are very common and are also regularly used by the common mass. Athletes prefer to use these drugs to mask their pain in order to maintain their performance and ability to compete in unfavorable conditions. These medications allow blood pressure levels to skyrocket, thus providing the body with a large amount of vital oxygen to relieve pain. Pain relievers can be purchased without a prescription and include medications such as NSAIDs (acetaminophen and ibuprofen) as well as certain prescription narcotics.

Masking drugs: These are rare drugs and are taken to avoid detection of other classes of drugs. These drugs can evolve very quickly in almost similar ways to test methods. Epitestosterone is the most commonly recognized drug of manufacture.

Diuretics: These medications are used to expel water from the body of athletes. Wrestlers have been using these drugs for a long time to meet weight restrictions. Some of the stimulants are believed to have diuretic side effects.

Performance enhancers are usually taken as oral pills, although some injections are also available to be injected intravenously.

With improved technologies and development skills, detecting performance-enhancing drugs in an athlete’s bloodstream has become nearly impossible. But preventative measures are still being taken and hopefully one day the World Anti-Doping Agency will be able to put an end to this problem.