preview

Diuretics Research Paper

Decent Essays

Diuretics

Enhancement drugs have been used by athletes for a very long time. There are numerous types of drugs used by athletes, including steroids, androstenedione, gonatrophin, diuretics, etc. One of the most common is diuretics. I am going to talk about the cause and effects of this drug on athletes that choose to use this form of enhancement. Diuretics are a drug that changes or alters a body’s natural balance of fluids and salts. This in turn can lead to dehydration which can decrease and athlete’s weight which is helpful to athletes who prefer to compete in a lower weight class. Because of this drug’s ability to alter a person’s weight, it is most commonly abused in sports such as weight-lifting, boxing, wrestling, martial arts, gymnastics, and even ballet dancing (Diuretics & High …show more content…

This can cause many problems within an athlete’s body. Arrhythmia can lead to fatigue, dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath, chest pain, and even a collapse into sudden cardiac arrest. Because of this possible side-effect, constant monitoring and tests should be run during and before drug use. These precautions include blood tests, and monitoring of potassium, sodium, or kidney function before drug use. When these warnings are ignored, it puts the athlete’s body or even their life at risk. In 1992, a pro body-builder Mohommed Benaziza died after competing in a weight lifting contest. An autopsy later showed that Mohommed was extremely dehydrated. He had experienced cardiovascular failure. In another case that occurred in 1988, a body builder named Albert Beckles collapsed on stage and began convulsing. He was resuscitated by emergency paramedics and was reported to be suffering from dehydration caused by the abuse of diuretics. These are only a few examples of tragic events that could have been avoided if not for the illegal use of the dangerous drug (Diuretics in

Get Access