Unregulated supplements: Why Lane Johnson got suspended

In the wake of the 10 game-suspension for Philadelphia Eagles' right tackle Lane Johnson, following a positive test for the consumption of Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs), one has to wonder "why do professional athletes use PEDs?"

Types of PEDs include anabolic steroids, human growth hormone (HGH), diuretics, creatine and stimulants, among others. These drugs are either injected into the muscle, taken in the form of a pill or taken as powder to be mixed with water and ingested. Athletes use PEDs to increase muscle mass, improve strength, and aid in recovery.

But the risks associated with them far outweigh the reward. In men, infertility, impotence, and prostate gland enlargement can occur. Women can experience infrequent or absent periods. Both sexes can experience an increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture, high blood pressure, heart and circulatory issues, liver failure and tumor, among many other health problems.

Despite the health risks, and the fact that professional sports organizations ban the use of these substances, professional and amateur athletes continue to use PEDs to obtain an advantage over their competitors. Before Johnson, other accomplished athletes like Lance Armstrong, Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez were implicated with their use of PEDs.

While testing is performed in professional leagues to detect PED use, athletes often know approximately when these tests will be conducted. Some athletes are convinced that they can "beat the system" by using PEDs that are not tested for – such as synthetically-made anabolic steroids or "designer steroids" which are undetectable in current tests – or by administering the drugs in a manner that will elude detection.

Other players turn to more readily available "supplements," which are seen as much less harmful. Supplements, in general, are utilized to improve strength, stamina, and speed, aid in recovery, and improve concentration. However, there is still some risk associated with over-the-counter supplements for professional athletes.

Supplement companies are not governed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which means they are not held to the same standards as prescription drug manufacturers. As a result, these supplements may include small amounts or traces of a banned substance, which may not be listed.

When an athlete tests positive for a banned substance, they are often in one of two situations: the athlete knowingly took PEDs, or they took over-the-counter supplements that unknowingly contained some traces of PEDs.

Professional athletes – like any consumer who decides to use a supplement — should take time to learn about the products they are consuming and ask themselves:

There are mobile applications that anyone can use to answer these questions. These apps will scan product bar codes, list the ingredients and then show a sign of "approval" if the list does not contain a substance banned by a professional sports organization. However, it was reported that Lane Johnson had used one of these apps to check a supplement he was taking, and while "approved" by the app, the product actually did contain banned substances.

So why, knowing all that we do about PEDs and supplements, would professional athletes take this gamble?

The answer often revolves around three main areas: the athlete's desire to be the best, even at the expense of getting caught; the concern that their opponents are also using PEDs and that they need them in order to be competitive; the fear that they might be losing their edge and younger players may outperform them. The length of a professional athlete's career is relatively short, and the desire to be the strongest, fastest, or most powerful can sometimes lead to poor decision making.

Read more Sports Doc for Sports Medicine and Fitness.