It’s understandable that athletes at the highest end of the performance spectrum might look for any gain, any edge at all, that might help propel them to the top. Ego, fame and unbelievable amounts of money are at stake. But people all over the athletic spectrum are convinced that one supplement or another will make them healthier, faster or stronger, while other people seek a different sort of edge with drugs they hope will improve cognition.
Maria Sharapova made news this week when she was suspended for using the “performance-enhancing” drug meldonium. I put that in quotes for a reason. Most Americans had probably never heard of this drug, let alone considered that people would take it to improve their tennis game. But there are a lot of healthy people, probably even people you know, who use a drug intended for ill people because they think it will give them an edge.
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