The Deadliest Performance Enhancing Drug

In the early twentieth century, athletes took strychnine to boost their stamina. While now known as a deadly rat poison, it was once used as a dangerous stimulant to keep racers running.

During the 1904 Olympic marathon, the winner actually collapsed multiple times after being injected with strychnine and brandy. Trainers believed these small, measured doses could push the human body past its natural limits by forcing stronger muscle contractions. Doctors eventually abandoned the practice when they realized the substance was far more likely to cause fatal convulsions than a gold medal. It serves as a haunting reminder of how far athletes will go to win at any cost.