Athletes are using high-glycemic sugar as a strategic delivery system to make steroids and growth hormones more potent.
April 26, 2026
Original Paper
SUGAR AND DOPING
SSRN · 6647641
The Takeaway
Sugar is usually viewed by athletes as simple fuel for a workout. This research shows that it actually acts as a metabolic modulator that changes how the body processes doping drugs. Consuming high amounts of sugar creates a metabolic overdrive state that allows steroids to survive longer and work more effectively in the body. This interaction turns a common ingredient into a tool for enhancing the performance of high-risk drug protocols. It highlights a dangerous new level of sophistication in how modern athletes bypass natural limits.
From the abstract
The non-peripheral role of high-glycemic carbohydrates in the effectiveness of contemporary doping regimens is examined in this paper. This study suggests that sugar serves as a pharmacokinetic delivery system and a metabolic modulator in the context of professional doping, in contrast to traditional sports science, which sees sugar as a primary energy substrate. We discover a "Metabolic Overdrive" state by investigating the relationship between refined glucose and chemicals like exogenous insul