In this article, Michael Lavin argues that sports can be equal to performance enhancing drugs such as WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) drugs and beta blockers. Specifically, Michael Lavin is articulating that athletes reinjecting their own blood is actually banned for some sports. One key point Michael Lavin makes is that blood counts as a drug according to the World Anti-Doping Agency. Michael Lavin presents that physical activity helps to create a boost in mood and a decrease in anxiety and stress; however, it can also increase the use of performance enhancing drugs. Another keypoint is that WADA publishes a list of prescribed drugs that is marked with drugs from pharmacy categories. The argument itself is very well put together because it has so much evidence and logical facts to back it up. I would have always thought that sports were good for health; however, it can cause some athletes to use enhancement drugs to play better.
This article will help me in a small amount only because my research question is based specifically on how physical activity affects sleep. I see myself including quotes from this source when I get into the part when Michael Lavin articulates the use of drugs and the impact without the use of drugs on athletes. Furthermore, the quote that stood out to me the most from the article is when Michael Lavin articulated, “Likewise, depressive athletes may fail to train at all unless they take their Prozac. Likewise, athletes reinjecting their own blood is banned, though one must contort words to count blood as a drug.”(Lavin). This practice is helpful because it helps me to identify the quote without accidentally plagiarizing it. Furthermore, this quote connects with my research question because it argues that physical activity is well for the body and can affect good mood and development; however, some sports can be an introduction to new drugs due to increasing longer time periods for exercising.
