Drugs banned from the Olympics

The International Olympic Committee was established in order to deal with the increasing problem of doping in the sports world and follows three fundamental principals, protecting the health of athletes, respecting medical and sports ethics, and ensuring equality for all athletes. The list of drugs banned from the Olympics is determined by the World Anti-Doping Agency. The banned substances and techniques fall into the following categories: androgenic agents, blood doping, peptide hormones, stimulants, diuretics, narcotics and cannabinoids.

Banned androgenic agents are either anabolic steroids or Beta-2 agonists. Androgenic steroids increase testosterone and epitestosterone, improving muscle strength and endurance. Andro, DHEA, stanozolol, testosterone and nandrolone are banned drugs in this category. The banned Beta-2 agonists are bambuterol, clenbuterol and salbutamol.

Blood doping is the injection of red blood cells, related blood products that contain red blood cells, or artificial oxgyen containers. This is done by storing blood prior to competition and injecting immediately before competition to improve oxygen transport and athletic endurance.

Peptide hormones increase bulk, stength, and oxygen-carrying red blood cells. The peptide hormones chorionic gonadatrophin (banned in men only), somatotrophin (growth hormone), synthetic erythropoietin (EPO) and corticotrophin, a corticosteroid mimic, are banned.

Stimulants directly affect the central nervous system, increasing blood flow and heart rate. Stimulants that are banned include amphetamines, beta-2 agonists, ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, fencamfamine, cocaine, methamphetamine, mesocarb and other substances with similar chemical structures and biological effects.

Diuretics are banned for two reasons. First, by decreasing water retention and thus weight, an important consideration in many speed sports, they increase the speed of athletes. Secondly, increase urine production depletes the presence of other drug metabolites making their detection more difficult. Banned diuretics include acetazolamide, furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide and spironolactone.