They stand behind the starting blocks, rigid and serious; the tension is palpable. Without a sound, the athletes step onto the starting block; the only barrier remaining between them and Olympic gold is some fifty meters of cool, clear water. They know that in less than twenty-two seconds, the race will be over; the difference between the winner and the loser measured by a margin of a few thousandths of a second.

At their inspirational best, the Olympic Games affirm the beauty and glory of sport. As we watch extraordinary athletes compete and achieve feats of incredible strength, speed, and agility, we are moved to awe. But to see these performances athletic besieged by assertions of the rampant use of performance-enhancing drugs among athletes puts the essence of athletic competition at risk. Many athletes who compete and win based solely on talent and determination are viewed with skepticism.

As sports are becoming increasingly more competitive and profitable, athletes of all levels are questioning how they can continue to improve. These athletes are exploring new options in training, technique, and nutrition as a means to gain a competitive edge. Increasingly, athl

While the use of dietary aids to enhance athletic prowess is centuries old, research indicates that today's highly competitive athletic world is causing youth performance-enhancing drug use to grow significantly. Studies by Our National Drug Control Strategy (ONDCS) show that steroid use among twelfth grade females jumped 100 percent between 1991 and 1996; during this same five-year period, steroid use among tenth grade females jumped 83 percent and jumped 75 percent among eighth grade girls. This trend is alarming as sport is often promoted as a means to achieve physical well-being. While we currently lack concrete information on the possible long-term effects of performance-enhancing drugs on the human body, preliminary studies suggest performance-enhancing drugs put the health and safety of those who use these substances at serious risk. The Stasi, a secret German police organization that managed East Germany's national doping program during the 1970's, has documented health problems related to performance-enhancing drugs ranging from androgen-induced amenorrhea and severe ovarian cysts to advanced liver damage, and fetal malformation in pregnant women. The risks are significantly higher for young people as the use of exogenous hormones during development can severely impair or alter the normal cycle of development. While perceived to help achieve maximum athletic benefit, performance-enhancing drugs have athletes literally 'dying to win'.

etes are incorporating performance-enhancing supplements

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