MADD Teen Influencer
November 2023
we usually only hear about the ones that do. Still, education from both parents and coaches is essential in preventing substance abuse in young athletes. According to the World Anti-Doping Agency, or WADA, the following are the drugs banned at all times for athletes in and out of competitions:
Peptide hormones Growth factor-related
substances
Beta-2 agonists Hormone and metabolic
modulators
Any diuretics and masking
agents
Gary A. Green, MD, a clinical professor in the UCLA division of sports medicine said about the issue, “It is clear that a vast majority of athletes in most sports do not use performance-
enhancing drugs. A recent study shows that about 10% or 11% of high school kids are using human growth hormone. I would be skeptical of that because human growth hormone, even when you go to one of these anti-aging clinics, is expensive,” Green said. “Several hundreds of dollars per course, and I would bet that it is probably out of the price range for most high school students.” A recent survey directed by the CDC showed that 3.2% of high school students stated they’d used anabolic steroids without a prescription at least once. High school boys were also more likely to take anabolic steroids than girls. One way to prevent this kind of drug abuse is to identify the type of athletes that might use. Younger athletes are usually more prone to using as they don’t see the long-term effects and possible health risks. Overall, it is best to avoid taking anything that could affect your health. Even mild caffeine intake in teenagers can pose a health risk and cause a reliance on it before a meet or race. If you start to feel the pressure to become a little faster or go a little further and you feel you can’t do it naturally, it’s best to reach out to a coach or your parents and ask for help. There are many healthy and natural solutions to make those extra gains in your sport.
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