PEDs: Are They Harmful or Helpful?

by CJ Briner, Kalli Graham, Tyra Marcum, and Evan Walker

Performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) are a hot topic in the world of athletics and PEDs in Sports life. Since many PEDs are illegal to use, one may question if using performance-enhancers are even ethical. Through this, the task of finding out how many athletes and people use these PEDs is difficult because of the possible external consequences from the community around them if others found out that they were using these. This turns into an internal moral battle for many. Before starting PED usage, it is important to know the possible benefits and harmful effects on your body. Throughout this study, it was found that it truly is a personal choice behind fighting the possible consequences of PEDs for the benefit behind them, or if the risks outweigh the rewards resulting in people staying away from these drugs.

Review of Literature

The main themes found in the research can be divided into the benefits of PED use and risks of PED use. Research shows that an athletes’ performance is improved or strengthened through the use of PEDs (Herstain et al., 2024). For instance, PEDs can boost an athlete’s strength and endurance, support weight loss, build muscle, and increase energy (Piacentino et al., 2021). In addition, PED use can enhance a person’s appearance and improve confidence (Brennan et al., 2016). According to Brennan et al. (2016) and Piacentino et al. (2021), many PED users believe performance-enhancing drugs are safe, healthy and beneficial despite the side effects they may have.

In contrast, Bates et al. (2022) and Brennan et al. (2016) indicate that PED use is a growing public health concern. There are many different side effects and health risks that may occur from PED use. Herstain et al. (2024) suggest that some effects may be short-term, long lasting or result in death. PED use is linked to psychological and physical risks for athletes. For instance, Woolf et al. (2021) suggest substance use could lead to psychological risks such as depression and suicide. Some physical risks include poor cardiovascular health and changes to the brain (Bates et al., 2022). Woolf et al. (2021) also state that a person’s sexual health could be affected, leading to infertility. PED users require accurate information to increase understanding about the health risks involved when using substances (Bates et al., 2022; Herstain et al., 2024).

Implication for the Practitioner

The research on PEDs offer recommendations for coaches, sport psychologists, trainers, and other professionals engaged with athletes. First, practitioners should prioritize education about both the view of benefits and the severe physical and psychological effects of PEDs. Studies show that many users believe PEDs are safe and underestimate their long-term consequences (Brennan et al., 2016; Piacentino et al., 2021). Educational programs have been deemed important due to the misunderstandings of PEDs. Bates et al. (2022) and Woolf et al. (2021) suggest professionals can give correct information about the bad effects of PEDs through one-on-one meetings, team meetings, and scheduled lectures.

These aspects can influence the decision to stand against doping behaviors. Athletes who are confident in themselves and their capabilities are more likely to stand against doping decisions (Herstain et al., 2024; Woolf et al., 2021). Athletes can benefit from the psychological skills practitioners teach them to reduce stress from coaches, teammates, or the sport. Techniques such as guided self-reflection, individualized goal setting, and values-based decision-making can help athletes make healthier and more informed choices.

Since PED usage is a public health issue, Bates et al. (2022) suggest practitioners should collaborate across disciplines to guarantee athletes receive consistent information and support. The number of athletes who rely on negative coping mechanisms can be decreased by providing comfortable situations where athletes can be themselves and talk about stress, performance issues, and other problems (Brennan et al., 2016). Professionals can guide athletes to make positive choices and reduce the use of PEDs by providing accurate information and open communication (Bates et al., 2022; Woolf et al., 2021).

Conclusion

PED use can come with satisfying benefits and serious risks. Athletes turn to PEDs to get stronger, improve their endurance, or to feel more confident with their appearance, but the dangers they are bringing to themselves are too serious to ignore. PEDs can lead to major health problems like heart issues, depression, memory loss, infertility, and in some more extreme situations, death.

Many people still think PEDs are safe because not enough information is getting through to the athletes. Because of this, choosing whether or not to use PEDs becomes a more personal and ethical decision. The research emphasizes that the use of PEDs are very tied to personal ethics, pressure from social media, and the access to the right information because some athletes do not know the facts. This is why it is important for coaches, trainers, sport psychologists, and other professionals to play their role in an athlete's life. In conclusion, choosing whether to use PEDs or not is a personal decision, but it is one that should always be made with the right understanding of the rewards and the risks.

References

Bates, G., Ralphs, R., Bond, V. W., Boardley, I., Hope, V., Van Hout, M.-C., & McVeigh, J. (2022). Systems mapping to understand complexity in the association between image and performance enhancing drugs (IPEDs) and harm. International Journal of Drug Policy, 107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103801

Brennan, R., Wells, J. S. G., & Van Hout, M. C. (2016). The injecting use of image and performance-enhancing drugs (IPED) in the general population: a systematic review. Health & Social Care in the Community, 25(5), 1459–1531. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12326

Herstain, D., Elkayam, I., & Peles, E. (2024). Professional and amateur athletes’ use and knowledge about the adverse consequences of performance enhancing drugs. Academic Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 2(1), 1–6. https://irispublishers.com/ajssm/fulltext/Professional-and-Amateur-Athletes-Use-and-Knowledge-About-the-Adverse-Consequences-of-Performance-Enhancing-Drugs.ID.000526.php

Piacentino, D., Sani, G., Kotzalidis, G., Cappelletti, S., Longo, L., Rizzato, S., Fabi, F., Frati, P., Fineschi, V., & Leggio, L. (2025). Shibboleth Authentication Request. Ebsco.com. https://research.ebsco.com/c/qwcd3d/viewer/pdf/klauhibhwf?route=details

Woolf, J. (Jules) R., Yoon, H. (Violet), & Perkari, K. (2021). Fighting and doping: Professional mixed martial artists experience and exposure to performance-enhancing substances and supplements. Performance Enhancement & Health, 9(1), 100190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.peh.2021.100190