Chris Skowronski - July 2020
“Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing” – Vince Lombardi
There is an astounding amount of controversy and misunderstanding when it comes to the use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). PEDs are defined as substances that are used to improve any form of activity performance in humans. For the sake of this post, I will be addressing anabolic substances more related to muscular hypertrophy and strength while omitting endurance sport PEDs such as Erythropoietin (EPO), beta-blockers and blood doping. Whether it's a collegiate or professional athlete in a traditional sport, bodybuilders, or your local Gold's Gym swole-boy, we have all heard/seen/read some form of content regarding the use of PEDs in pursuit of perfection.
In this post, I hope to show an encompassing counter-view to the common narrative seen through mainstream sports on outlets such as ESPN, Bleacher Report, etc. and the stigma placed on those that have been accused of or partake in PED usage. Stigma is usually the product of misconception due to a lack of understanding of foundational principles; in this case, there is a misunderstanding or blatant neglect of physiology. It is easy to call out a bodybuilder for obvious drug use, but we see usage across various fields of competition which leads to a possible conclusion that some of our favorite athletes may have found another way to surpass their competition beyond a normal means (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Hopefully, with these points, some may be more open to discussing these issues rather than denouncing every accused or admitted PED user as unworthy.
Physiology Matters: First, we must consider the SAID Principle, the Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands. Let's take strength training for example (used not just for strength athletes, but also for traditional athletes in their off-season training) if you back squat with 85% of your one-rep max (1RM) for 5 sets of 5 reps you can expect in most cases that you will develop hamstring, glute, and quadriceps strength proportional to the demand you put on them. You do not magically gain chest strength or bicep hypertrophy after this workout, your body adapts to what you put it through.
Androgenic receptors in cells (muscle, bone, fat, skin, liver) are constantly up- and down-regulated in response to their environment. When the proper level of training is used (movement, sets, reps and intensity) the body will respond by augmenting androgen receptors in the cell of the muscle that performed work allowing for more or less attachment of hormones to cell receptors. Current research shows that there is an initial down-regulation of receptors eventually leading to up-regulation but it is unclear if levels only return to baseline or super compensate in response to down-regulation (6, 7, 8). This is a rudimentary explanation of this corner of endocrinology but entire books such as Androgen Receptors by Kam-Shing Yip and Silvia Socorro and Stress: Neuroendocrinology and Neurobiology by George Fink . This topic boils down to the fact that work must be done to gain the desired result.
Bigger, Faster, Stronger...No One Remembers Second Place: In college and professional sports there is a need to outdo your opponent, given that at these upper echelons, skill is more equal than at the levels below. We see PED usage in a multitude of sports but Powerlifting and Strongman will not be discussed as heavily as they mostly admit to using various substances and some federations just do not care. To understand the why regardless of sport, we should first try to understand an athlete, and second, we have to accept that many of our heroes have probably used some form of performance enhancement(9).
It is hard for some people to accept this reality when there are allegations against their favorite athletes and even harder to swallow if the allegations are true. Sports fans and analyst personalities are quick to make assumptions regardless of their actual backgrounds. We see this type of commentary in many social media and mainstream media outlets; minimal knowledge with the maximum opinion that mainly focuses on side effects and the arbitrary immorality rather than what goes through the athletic mind and the reasoning for the prevalent use of these substances(10). Although figures may differ from sport to sport we get a glimpse in the NFL where it has been discussed that between 10-40% of the players are on some form of PED(11). More recently we have seen the Russian National Team slammed with a four-year ban from the Olympics with only a handful invited to participate individually, not as a team(12). Maybe if we had more understanding of these athletes we would be better equipped to take in this kind of information, especially for those that have not competed at any level in their lives. A question posed by Robert M. Goldman gives us insight into the mind of elite-level athletes: “if there was a drug you could take that would guarantee overwhelming success but would cause your inevitable death in five years, would you take it?” Half of the athletes surveyed stated they would do it. Half. Although it is easier said than done, the result of the question is still staggering. The Goldman Dilemma, as it is known, has been debated for years and has been used in both popular and academic media(13). On a more anecdotal note, we can see the dedication these athletes put into their respective sports, Strongman Robert Oberst may have nailed the athlete psychological profile when discussing Hafthor Bjornsson's loss in the 2017 World's Strongest Man and the reaction he had thereafter:
"There’s no room to be cool when you’re 100% invested in competition. If I’m ready to die for this, and I don’t get it, I don’t care if I look stupid complaining afterwards. I was ready to die for that.” (14)
Let's See How Far Humans Can Go: This section will be mostly an opinion piece, just a warning.
I love sports, I've been playing them my whole life. From football to strongman and track to ultimate frisbee, the feeling of playing and winning is by far the best high. The more invested you become in a given activity the greater the reward when you come out on top. This is why I find it amazing when analysts and couch quarterbacks make broad statements about athletes and situations they do not truly understand. Rules are rules, I'm well aware, so it makes sense that others may be flustered about allegations or positive tests but if we take a closer look at all these factors discussed we could find some kind of understanding or solution. Athletes are going to do what they can to finish first, there's no way of getting around it. These possible solutions are not an end-all nor are they all-encompassing but they may help us down the right path.
Idea 1 - Consistency in Principles, on the harsh end of the spectrum, we do not give strikes to athletes. If we want these athletes to be role models and not cheat we take away their ability to play completely. Once you test positive (and it's proven beyond a reasonable doubt) you are done in your respective league/federation/team/school. This would show that there are no gray areas and the integrity of the sport stays consistent across the board. The United States military adopted this for all branches years ago after having a long-standing "3 strikes rule" meaning that you could test positive a maximum of three times for what they deemed illegal substances before you were kicked out, now it's a one and done. This may keep the playing field level, but we all know athletes will do whatever it takes, that decision would just come at a much steeper price. If this is too harsh maybe we take it down a notch. Problems that could arise include a possible quick turnover of athletes, we may see some athletes come in and get booted within their rookie year. I would argue that this is extreme but the idea should be addressed.
Idea 2 - Gotta Keep ‘Em Separated, moving along this spectrum, we make separate leagues like what is seen in powerlifting. For example, the USAPL (following IPF guidelines) test athletes for PEDs especially record-breakers; albeit these federations are not always consistent with that but that is another blog post on its own. This could help mediate the augmented vs. non-augmented athlete dilemma. The idea could come at a cost, creating new leagues is expensive (see XFL) and hard to get off the ground (see WNBA) which is why I wouldn't go this route initially for billion-dollar sports like football and baseball. A note for this would be trying it at lower minor league levels, where the risk-reward ratio may not be as great.
Different but still related to the above, we keep leagues the same but keep tabs on those players that use PEDs without punishment. If records are broken they can have an asterisk next to their name denoting enhancement. Hopefully, with this, we can remove some of that stigma that is seen in traditional sports if players can openly state their status. This may not be optimal as those that have no background in the sport or the performance world will chime in with their two uneducated cents. We see a lot of that already, but it would be nice to take some of their ammo away. Positives that could manifest is taking away the “black market” for PEDs and proper dosages/administration by qualified personnel.
Idea 3 - The Path of No Resistance. Lastly, on the opposite end of the spectrum...we do nothing. Stop testing and stop analyzing the athletes. These are adults that have been immersed in this particular subject since adolescence, maybe we just let them do what they want and take the potential safety risks as they come.
Not every athlete that uses PEDs is caught, nor do these athletes end up as the best in comparison to their non-PED using counterparts, so why go through the trouble when all they get are fines/suspensions that do not have a real impact to their bottom line. An example of this type of approach is seen in strongman where there is plenty of PED usage, even though World's Strongest Man (WSM) denounces anabolic steroid use, we all know what’s going on. This brings up the questions: does every strongman use steroids? No. Do top pro and amateur strongman athletes admit and/or know of the use within their sport? Yes(15, 16). Honestly, who can deadlift 501kg without the use of a performance enhancer?
In closing, this piece is a reflection of the current reality in sports and their respective analytics; some issues were not addressed which may be talked about in further blog articles. I’m always open to discussion on topics like this. It is worth noting that research is easy to find that follows a narrative, we see it with a multitude of supplement companies and fitness figures. What I've referenced below is not all-encompassing; my goal is to help shift the way of thinking on this topic towards understanding for athletes and the perception of their reality. I'm sure everyone will have an opinion on all of this, that's the point. If it isn't discussed then how do we properly address the issue? Let's be real, a lot of us just want a show and could care less about arbitrary rules, inconsistent morality, or possible safety concerns. Lift that weight, score that touchdown, and crank that ball out of the park(17). For many athletes, the great words of Ricky Bobby ring true, "If you're not first you're last" and we all know that no one remembers second place
References/Resources
(2)https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED503214.pdf
(5)https://www.cnn.com/2013/06/06/us/performance-enhancing-drugs-in-sports-fast-facts/index.html
(6)Ratamess, N.A., Kraemer, W.J., Volek, J.S., Maresh, C.M., VanHeest, J.L., Sharman, M.J., Rubin, M.R., French, D.N., Vescovi, J.D., Silvestre, R., Hatfield, D.L., Fleck, S.J., & Deschenes, M.R. (2005). Androgen receptor content following heavy resistance exercise in men. Journal of Steroid Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, 93, p35-42
(7) Vingren, J.L., Kraemer, W.J., Hatfield, D.L., Volek, J.S., Ratamess, N.A., Anderson, J.M., Hakkinen, K., Ahtiainen, J., Fragala, M.S., Thomas, G.A., Ho, J.Y., & Maresh, C.M. (2009). Effects of Resistance Exercise on Muscle Steroid Receptor Protein Content in Strength-trained Men and Women. Steroids, 75, p1033-1039.
(8) Kraemer, W.J., & Ratamess, N.A. (2005). Hormonal Responses and Adaptations to Resistance Exercise and Training. Sports Medicine, 35(4), p340-346.
(9)https://bleacherreport.com/articles/209217-steroids-in-sports-the-rise-and-fall-of-great-athletes
(10)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0DIY-UDwXA
(12)https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/50710598
(13)https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijsc/10/4/article-p429.xml
(14)https://fitnessvolt.com/robert-oberst-wsm-controversy/
(15)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZlbHp5sYPM
(16)https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/26522096/got-strongman-champ-admits-steroid-use(17)https://www.espn.com/espn/commentary/news/story?page=hruby/101013
Just a little comedy...but with a hint of seriousness.
