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Athletes: Is It Ethical To Use Supplements?

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SNAKE OIL, SNAKE OIL, GET YOUR SNAKE OIL HERE. TAKE DR. CROOKS MAGICAL ELIXIR for increased whatever the heck you want. Magical elixirs are old western examples of con-men using a false advertising campaign to try and make a quick buck before their run out of town. Today modern snake oil comes in the form of supplements advertising everything from muscle gain to increased sexual performance and many of these products are advertised late at night on television stations just as obscure as the proof behind their product’s claims. With this heavy lack of scientific support and very little regulation for the safety of such products. However, it is not just minor supplement companies that pose a risk. Athletes are often subject to random drug screens and highly reputable companies often do not list banned substances directly on the label. Sometimes this causes athletes to unknowingly ingest a performance enhancing compound and possible fail a drug test. With a heavy lack of scientific evidence to prove safety of a product and ambous labeling athletes are put at unnecessary risks when using supplements. To prevent a dangerous and ambiguous product from reaching the market supplements should undergo pharmaceutical clinical trials to verify safety and be required to list substance banned by all sports organization including, but not limited to the National Collegiate Athletic Association and …show more content…

Along with this,supplement manufacturers are not required to wait for FDA safety approval before adding new ingredients to their product. As a result of no oversight some companies chose to put compounds in their products such as androstenedione a growth hormone that although legal poses a “health risk similar to steroids” (Dr. Robert Brackett). Which is a primary reason why it is banned by many sports organizations throughout the

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