10 incredible performance-enhancing drugs (11 photos)

We present you with 10 unusual substances that our ancestors, and in some cases, modern people, used as performance enhancing drugs. You might be surprised, but they include baking soda, arsenic, guinea pig sperm, and much more.







1. Strychnine

Better known as a deadly poison, strychnine was considered a ticket to success for American runner Thomas Hicks, who competed in the 1904 Olympic marathon. Thomas mixed the substance with brandy and egg white. He needed emergency medical attention at the finish line and nearly died, but still won the gold medal.





2. Donkey Hooves

Ancient Egyptian athletes consumed the hooves of Abyssinian donkeys in powdered form; they boiled them in oil and seasoned them with rose hips to mask the characteristic unpleasant odor.



3. Sweet Ether

Sugar cubes in ether helped cyclists complete a 144-hour race in the 1870s. When that wasn't enough, coaches added nitroglycerin and cocaine with a pinch of mint for flavor.



4. Baking Soda

Some modern swimmers swear by "soda doping," which helps them shave off precious seconds during competitions. By increasing the pH level, baking soda can reduce the acid produced by athletes' muscles, allowing them to stay in shape. However, baking soda also causes diarrhea.



5. Ultraviolet Radiation

In the 1930s, Soviet scientists discovered that exposing runners to ultraviolet radiation increased their speed in the 100-meter dash. In the 1940s, German researchers also discovered similar improvements in cycling.



6. Guinea Pig Sperm

In the late 1800s, physiologist Charles Brown-Séquard injected himself with a serum made from a mixture of dog and guinea pig sperm, claiming it made him stronger and even "lengthened the arc of his urine." While he certainly exaggerated the benefits of his discovery, it was certainly a precursor to hormone-based performance-enhancing drugs.



7. Pigeon Potions

Pigeon racing was marred by doping scandals: while some pigeon owners preferred anabolic steroids, others used anti-molting medications. The birds were also given laxatives to encourage them to defecate before the race, thus losing weight.



8. Hallucinogenic Mushrooms

Hallucinogenic mushrooms weren't just used by berserkers: Olympians in the third century also relied on them to speed them to the finish line.



9. Arsenic

In the provinces of Styria and Tyrol, Austrian lumberjacks swung their axes under the influence of megadoses of arsenic, which they also took to improve digestion.



10. Human Heart

The ancient Aztecs believed that eating human hearts aided both warfare and athletic performance.