Dr Xand van Tulleken investigates the world of performance-enhancing drugs - from the athletes seeking the rewards of fame, glory and lucrative sponsorship deals to the hundreds of thousands of people in the UK now regularly taking anabolic steroids to look good and buff up. What are these drugs? What do they do to the body? And is it worth it? Xand's investigation reveals the extraordinary gamble dopers take with their health. Long-term effects include kidney failure, cognitive impairment and testicular shrinkage, and Xand witnesses how users are self-experimenting with drugs that have not yet been approved for human use. Horizon uncovers the new frontier of doping, from new molecules to gene therapy - where the genes that control muscle growth are altered. These new methods could be completely undetectable by the doping authorities. Finally, with the help of his twin brother Chris, Xand discovers the legal ways some athletes try to gain the edge.
Episode 12 of Season 53 from Horizon — available to stream in HD on any device.
Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts!
Recommended
Grand Designs: House of the Year
Million Dollar Beach House
Words + Music
The End of an Era
Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins
Wild Wild Country
Born to Be Wild
Den Sorte Svane
Titanic Sinks Tonight
MonsterQuest
Search for movies, TV shows, collections, manga, or people
Trending Now