4 Commonly Used Performance Enhancing Drugs

With all of the controversy surrounding performance enhancing drugs, it is difficult to know what types are being used. Here is a list of four widely-used PED's:

1. Anabolics

Anabolic steroids cause much of the trouble in today's athletic universe. These PED's can only be prescribed by a doctor for medical use, but are often taken to increase muscle size and strength. Their benefits can transform a weak rookie into a powerful veteran in no time. Anabolic steroids, can also speed recovery after an injury and allow athletes to train harder for longer.

2. Masking Agents

If athletes take a banned substance, they need something to cover it up right? Masking agents are the answer. They are used to detoxify the body so that the toxins left behind from the PED's are not traceable. When used correctly, they allow an athlete to fly under the radar and continue to gain advantage over their competitors.

3. Stimulants

With the length of the length of Major League Baseball's regular season, durability is a very big issue. Over the course of 162 games, players' bodies break down and become prone to injury. Muscles tire, backs ache, and arms turn to rubber as the final stretch approaches. It is reasonable to think that some players would like to delay these effects until the off season is underway. One way to do this is to take stimulants which can re-energize both the mind and body. These drugs allow athletes to compete at the highest level while keeping pain and injury in check.

4. Peptide Hormones (HGH)

This performance enhancing drug has been in the news frequently over the past few years. While these drugs merely increase the production rate of natural bodily hormones, they do so at an exceptional level. Their ability to increase muscle growth can help players reach the next level or recover from injury far quicker than by natural process.