Supplements & Steroids in Athletics
Drugs
These include many things, like Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Cannabis, Cocaine, Nicotine, and Alcohol.
Supplements
These are generally benign substances, such as Vitamin C, Creatine pills, Iron tablets, Cod liver oil capsules, and protein powder.
THE GOOD
Protein Powders and similar muscle growth boosting foods, which are commonly available in High Street shops and over the counter at gyms. Not always good, and nearly always very expensive.
Creatine capsules. Commonly used amongst athletes, and advantageous to most – provided you don’t take too much.
Fluid replacement powders – electrolytes containing sodium salts and potassium.
Vitamin and mineral supplements – some of the most commonly used and effective for athletes are Vitamin C and Iron (over-training can cause Anaemia). There are many other types, some of which you may need, while others you might already have enough of. If in doubt, talk to a Doctor, Pharmacist, or Nutrition expert.
THE BAD
Too much junk food with the wrong types of salts and fats, which are ‘processed’, meaning that they have been tampered with to such an extent that the bad qualities will build up in your body over time, although the amounts present in just one meal are insignificant. Educate yourself about food and learn to cook—this is a fantastic, essential life skill for any athlete to acquire.
Many foods, drugs, and supplements cannot be easily categorized for various reasons, and as such, they fall into the ‘grey fuzzy area’ between the good and the bad. They could easily be ugly if misused, and basically, you haven’t done much research into what you are putting into your mouth. I will give one example as Cannabis (pot, marijuana, hash, blow, green, dope) – this is a massive subject, and it can and does cause many problems for people in society – BUT – I will not rule it out – because sometimes it is the best thing available (in it’s pure form) for athletes to take to help sleep, recovery and muscle pain relief during intense training.
I will naturally give a brief mention to Paul McCartney of the Beatles pop group and the boxer Mike Tyson—you can search online for the rest. I’m finished on that topic before I get myself into trouble.
THE UGLY
Steroids, Anabolic Steroids, and various other types of Performance enhancers, which might be injected or taken orally.
Crack Cocaine
Heroin
Strong Pain Killers
Weight-loss pills and potions (even if you can get them prescribed by a Doctor) — my advice is to go for very long walks, cycle, or jog.
Tons of other substances, including alcohol, are in larger quantities. However, most people do need to take supplements occasionally; for example, distance runners and pregnant women may require extra iron and vitamin C. When athletes have trained hard in hot weather, they often need electrolyte relief from various electrolyte powders and liquids, typically containing Sodium and potassium, among other essential minerals.
MOJOH SAYS NO NO!
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER:
I am not a Doctor, and in no way am I qualified to recommend particular drugs (or supplements) to any other individual.
The information and links on this webpage are based entirely on my own experience and research, and I receive no commissions or payments from any third parties for providing this information.
All information on this page is intended to help anyone considering using pills, powders, or potions to enhance their fitness training.
The final choice is yours, and you can, of course, check out other websites to broaden your knowledge before you make a decision. Everyone is different! What is right for one person will undoubtedly be wrong for others. Just be careful, please. If in doubt, consult a Doctor, Coach, Parent, Guardian, or Trusted Friend before putting these things into your body.
END OF DISCLAIMER
One of my golden rules as a Coach is never to coach people who stoop to these levels of desperation. Keep it clean and natural wherever possible, and REMEMBER THIS:
For every successful ‘winner’ who ‘cheated’ with steroids in sport, there are always thousands of ‘losers’ who fall by the wayside of life to be forgotten about and to suffer terrible side effects. However, you rarely hear about these failures because many of your gym buddies or peers will try to convince you that this is not cheating and that they know best, implying that you are a fool for not following their lead. After all, everyone else does. Probably, they will then try to push or peddle these substances or unnecessary supplements onto you (at a financial profit to themselves).
Sooner or later, this WILL happen to you on your athletic journey. Please try to find the mental strength and discipline to say NO and walk away. I know how hard it is to say no in these circumstances, and how painful it can be to decide you must cut ties with some of the people you had previously considered friends.
Trust me, this is part of the pain and mental discipline that a successful athlete (a champion) must endure to be the best they can be – practicing their mental strength and discipline will pay off eventually.
This topic, whilst vast and potentially awkward, is quite simple for me to explain from my perspective (based on many years of experience).
Vitamin tablets and powders typically purchased over the counter are generally safe to use as food supplements and can sometimes be highly beneficial to athletes. However, be cautious not to overindulge in anything, and strive to ensure that you truly need these things.
Electrolyte (fluid replacement) is also fine and is often used by athletes who sweat a lot during training.
Creatine is also suitable for many athletes, provided it is taken under the guidance of a trusted Coach or doctor. However, it is essential not to exceed the recommended dosage. Too much of ANYTHING is bad for you.
Protein powders and specific muscle-building formulas are also generally safe to use (if purchased over the counter from a shop or gym). Still, the downside is that these are often very expensive (a massively profitable industry). When people ask me what they should take, I always tell them to start by looking at their regular daily food intake – whole, unprocessed foods like chicken, fish, fresh fruit, and vegetables. Berries, beans, pulses, greens, herbs, and spices.
I’m a big fan of strawberries, bananas, and eggs (definitely free-range and organic every time, please). I also eat a lot of chicken, other white meats, and a good amount of fish when I can get it. The human body has evolved over thousands of years to consume these natural foods; however, modern supplements, pills, and potions have only been widely available for a relatively short period. So stop arguing with me 🙂
Pretty much everything that I didn’t mention in the above NOTES section is BAD, WRONG, EVIL, DANGEROUS. Please don’t do it.
