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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Archery. 2. Tamoxifen Boston Red Sox player Marlon Byrd received a 50-game suspension from Major League Baseball in 2012 for taking the banned substance tamoxifen. J Rogash/Getty Images In June 2012, outfielder Marlon Byrd faced a 50-game suspension after testing positive for tamoxifen, a substance banned from Major League Baseball and many other sports. Why would an athlete want to take a drug normally used by breast cancer patients? The answer lies in some interesting biochemistry. Many breast cancers have receptors for estrogen, a hormone that promotes the development and maintenance of female characteristics of the body. When estrogen molecules fit into these receptors like a key fitting into a lock, the malignant cells become activated. Tamoxifen blocks these estrogen receptors, interfering with the cancer's ability to grow and develop. This is why scientists refer to tamoxifen as an anti-estrogenic agent. Now let's turn our attention to a home run slugger taking steroid injections — usually synthetic testosterone — to grow his muscles. Large doses of the male hormone cause the body to produce additional estrogen. This in turn can result in enlarged breasts, a feature that most power hitters find unappealing. To counteract the effects of estrogen and mask their steroid use, these players may opt to take tamoxifen. That means anti-estrogens don't really enhance performance, but because they alleviate symptoms of PEDs, they appear on the World Anti-Doping Agency's list. 1. Creatine Weightlifters like Great Britain's Emily Campbell may opt to pop the over-the-counter supplement creatine. It's not a banned substance. Martin Rickett - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images There's one popular performance-enhancing drug that won't land an athlete in hot water with anti-doping agencies. It's creatine, and it's not a drug at all, at least according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Because it's an over-the-counter supplement, the FDA regulates creatine like a food, which means creatine manufacturers don't conform to the same standards as pharmaceutical companies. That doesn't diminish its appeal. Creatine remains one of the most widely used substances among athletes, especially football players, sprinters and weightlifters. Why? Because a growing body
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