The upcoming Enhanced Games, an event promoting the use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) among athletes, has raised serious health concerns among medical researchers and experts. These scientists warn that competitors risk severe side effects such as heart attacks, psychiatric conditions, and the loss of libido as a result of using banned substances. Contrary to the event organizers’ claims that taking these drugs under medical supervision can make them safe, experts emphasize that such assurances are misleading and unsupported by evidence.
The Enhanced Games plan to hold a four-day competition in Las Vegas next year, featuring athletes who openly use substances banned in traditional sports. The event has already attracted high-profile competitors, including former Olympic swimmer James Magnussen, who has openly admitted to using testosterone, peptides, and other banned drugs as part of his preparation. Additionally, a Greek swimmer reportedly received a $1 million prize for breaking a world record with the aid of banned substances.
Despite the excitement surrounding the event, leading researchers specializing in PEDs caution that the health risks are being seriously underestimated. Among the substances highlighted are peptides such as BPC-157 and ipamorelin, which have had very limited or no formal human trials and lack approval from major regulatory agencies. The experimental nature of these drugs means that the long-term effects remain unknown, increasing the potential dangers for athletes.
One major concern is the impact on reproductive health and sexual function. Reports indicate that some users experience a significant loss of libido despite having normal hormone levels, a puzzling condition that researchers are still trying to understand. These adverse effects on reproductive function may be permanent or difficult to reverse.
The most critical health risks, however, relate to cardiovascular damage. Testosterone use has been linked to numerous serious heart conditions, including dyslipidemia (abnormal cholesterol levels), myocardial infarction (heart attack), arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), atherosclerosis (artery hardening), cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease), and enlargement of the heart’s left ventricle. Studies also show that testosterone users tend to have more coronary artery plaque and reduced heart pumping efficiency compared to non-users.
These cardiovascular risks are particularly alarming because they are often hidden and difficult for athletes to detect without extensive medical testing. Symptoms like acne or gynecomastia (development of breast tissue in men) are visible and tend to improve after stopping the drugs, but heart damage can develop silently over years. Reduced ejection fraction a condition where the heart pumps less blood with each beat places an extra strain on the cardiovascular system and significantly raises the risk of heart attacks. Some individuals recover after discontinuing testosterone, but for others, the damage can be lasting or fatal.
In addition to physical health concerns, there is growing evidence linking steroid use to psychiatric issues such as depression, anxiety, and mania. These conditions appear to be more prevalent among users compared to the general population, adding another layer of complexity to the risks involved.
The Enhanced Games’ director of athlete safety argues that risks can be managed through proper medical oversight, stating that the danger lies in misuse rather than use of PEDs themselves. However, experts disagree strongly, pointing out that short-term medical monitoring cannot reveal the long-term harms that develop over decades. They also highlight the risk of steroid dependency, where stopping use leads to mood disturbances due to suppressed natural testosterone production, which can drive athletes to resume drug use.
The World Anti-Doping Agency has condemned the Enhanced Games as irresponsible and dangerous. It criticized the event for promoting banned substances and downplaying their risks, especially warning about the potential influence on young athletes. The organization emphasized that encouraging elite competitors to publicly endorse these drugs could have harmful consequences beyond the event itself.
In summary, the scientific community is united in cautioning athletes and the public about the serious health dangers posed by performance-enhancing drugs, especially in the context of the Enhanced Games. The risks extend far beyond the immediate effects and include potentially life-threatening cardiovascular damage, psychiatric illness, and irreversible impacts on reproductive health. Medical supervision does not eliminate these dangers, and long-term consequences may only become evident after years of use. The event’s promotion of PEDs under the guise of safety is widely viewed as misleading and irresponsible.
