doping means the ingestion or use of prohibited substances in order to achieve an increase in performance, especially in sports. Doping is prohibited in competitive sports because doping agents can sometimes cause serious damage to health and mean an unequal distribution of opportunities in sports competitions. Doping in the broader sense is also common in the world of work (including studies).
What is doping?
The term doping comes from English. "To dope" means to administer drugs. The term originally came from South Africa, where "dop" was used to describe a strong liquor.
The definition of doping can hardly be narrowed down precisely and is now viewed as a problem that affects society as a whole. The doping rules currently in force in international competitive sport are based on a doping list of the World Anti-Doping Agency, which is published annually and supplemented by new active substances and methods.
Since the resolution of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in 2004, doping includes, on the one hand, the use of a potentially harmful substance or method for increasing sporting activities. On the other hand, doping means the presence of one of the above List named substance in the body of the athlete or even using a method that names this list.
Doping in the world of work and during studies describes the abuse of drugs to increase performance.
Function, effect & goals
Prohibited doping refers primarily to competitive sports, not to recreational sports in general. Although the doping list is binding at least for all Olympic sports, every sports association can define for itself what is understood by doping.
The prohibited substance classes in doping include stimulants that affect the central nervous system. They are used in doping because they increase the heart rate, breathing rate and brain function. They also increase alertness, willingness to compete and aggression, and reduce tiredness and pain.
Hormones to build muscle (anabolic-androgenic steroids, anabolic steroids or AAS) are also often used for doping. These include e.g. Testosterone.
Another drug used for doping is the hormone erythropoietin (EPO), which increases the number of red blood cells in order to better oxygenate the body tissue and improve endurance. When doping with narcotics, the sensation of pain and internal pressure are temporarily released.
Diuretics are diuretic substances. They fall under doping because dopers intend to cover up doping by taking them. In the case of increased urine excretion due to diuretics, a doping substance used can hardly be detected in a urine sample examined during doping controls.
A prohibited doping method is e.g. the blood doping. Either a re-infusion of one's own blood or a transfusion of foreign blood is used. This doping method is supposed to improve the red blood cells, the oxygen transport and thereby the endurance performance. Finally, the term doping includes some classes of substances with certain restrictions, namely alcohol, cannabinoids, local anesthetics, corticosteroids and beta blockers.
If an athlete violates the anti-doping rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency, it can result in a worst-case two-year ban the first time, and a further violation can result in a life-long ban.
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➔ Medicines for painRisks, side effects & dangers
Anabolic androgenic steroids can help doping cause serious health side effects. In men, they can lead to feminization, i.e. feminization, in women to virilization (masculinization). Other risks include liver cysts, heart disorders, voice deepening and beard growth in women, and hair loss and testicular shrinkage in men.
Stimulants used for doping can lead to complete, sometimes life-threatening exhaustion of the person concerned. They can also cause mental disorders such as addiction or depression, as well as physical effects such as hallucinations, irregular heartbeat, or severe tremors.
The extremely dangerous hormone EPO, which is widely used for doping, increases the risk of developing high blood pressure and suffering a heart attack or stroke.
Doping with narcotics can lead to respiratory paralysis and circulatory shock, as well as physical and psychological dependence. Diuretics can cause blood pressure to drop. In addition, cardiac arrhythmias can occur when doping with diuretics because too many electrolytes such as magnesium or potassium are excreted in the increased urine.
Doping through blood doping can increase blood pressure and the risk of thrombosis. In addition, improper doping can transmit life-threatening infections such as hepatitis or HIV.
