Appearance and Performance-Enhancing Drugs: What Parents and Coaches Need to Know Ep. 20-38

What if one of the greatest dangers surrounding performance-enhancing drugs in sport isn’t simply cheating?

What if it’s who is using them — and why?

PEDs and banned substances aren’t just an elite sport problem.

They’re a youth health, athlete safety, and education issue — and the fastest-growing users aren’t who you think.

• Many teens are chasing looks, not medals
• The average first use is shockingly young
• Most haven’t heard the real risks

This week, we are joined by Don Hooton, President of the Taylor Hooton Foundation, to examine the appearance and performance-enhancing drug issues facing sport and our youth.

Are you asking these questions?

• What are young people being exposed to?
• Do they truly understand what they are taking — or what it could cost them?
• How can parents and coaches recognize the risks?
• How do we begin better conversations before one choice creates lasting consequences?

Some substances are banned in sport. Some may be legal to purchase but dangerous to use. Others may contain ingredients athletes never knew they were consuming.

This is not simply an elite sport problem.

It is a youth health issue. An athlete safety issue. And an education issue.

This isn’t about scare tactics. It’s a clear, practical playbook that parents and coaches can use to keep kids healthy, engaged, and in love with sport.

In This Episode, We Explore:

• Who is really using PEDs and appearance-enhancing drugs — and why
• What young athletes are being exposed to and how early it starts
• The difference between banned substances, legal but dangerous products, and unknown ingredients
• How to recognize the warning signs as a parent or coach
• How to start the right conversations with your athletes before it’s too late
• Why education — not fear — is the most powerful tool we have

This is an incredibly important topic that needs to be discussed with our athletes and our children — and a critical part of Creating More Coachable Players.

Listen now and share this episode with your team.

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Join us all summer as we help sport parents and coaches better understand athlete development so they can make smarter, more confident decisions for their athletes.

I would love to hear your thoughts or comments on this topic. Write me: info@jeffkrushell.com

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Together we are raising the level of human performance — one athlete at a time.