Doping: How and Why Doping is Done

There are multiple common uses of the term "doping" in relation to sports. Doping can mean using drugs, usually performance enhancers, or the modification of a testing sample to prevent detection of drug use. Blood doping refers to enhancing performance through providing extra red blood cells to the body so that more oxygen can be processed. This is done by either withdrawing a pint of blood from the athlete and storing it until the competition, at which point the blood is reinjected. A similar effect is said to occur as well if an athlete sleeps at high altitudes with low oxygen and trains at lower altitudes with more oxygen. Blood doping is dangerous and has a number of potentially devastating side effects.

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History and General Information About Drug Use in Sports
Use of Steroids and Performance Enhancers
Alcohol Use and Alcoholism
Other Controlled Drugs Often Used or Abused by Athletes

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