Experts Talk Human Performance and Proper Hydration for 2024 Summer Olympics

Newswise — Rockville, Md. (July 24, 2024)—With only days before the start of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, member-experts from the American Physiological Society (APS) are available to discuss advances in human performance (anti-doping efforts) and proper hydration for competing athletes.

Keeping Sports Competition Clean

Performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) give athletes unfair advantages in their respective sports. Athletic regulatory bodies estimate PEDs usage among athletes is between 5% and 31%, according to Physiopedia. Cycling is among the sports with the highest rates of anti-doping rule violations worldwide.

There are various types of PEDs, including:

• Anabolic agents
• Human growth hormone
• Stimulants
• Erythropoietin
• Beta-blockers
• Diuretics 

Some of the side effects of PEDs are acne, liver damage, stunted growth and puberty disruption. Increased aggressiveness, impotence and heightened risk of heart attack and stroke may also be associated with PEDs. 

Proper Hydration Levels

Conversely, being under- or over-hydrated could limit athletes’ performance and put them at risk for various heat injuries. Proper hydration—especially during the extreme heat forecast for the 2024 Paris Olympics—helps athletes concentrate, reach optimal performance, boost endurance and prevents dangerous increases in heart rate and body temperature.

Expert Sources

APS has two of the world’s leading experts in these fields available for interviews with sports journalists during the Summer Games:

• Michael J. Joyner, MD, professor of anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic. Joyner’s expertise centers on human performance and anti-doping.
• Tamara Hew-Butler, DPM, PhD, FACSM, associate professor, College of Education, adjunct associate professor, School of Medicine, Wayne State University. Hew-Butler is a foremost authority on hydration and fluid regulation in athletes.

NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: To schedule an interview with the experts listed above, please contact APS Media Relations or call 301.634.7972. Find more research highlights in our Newsroom.