What is doping? And which performance-enhancing drugs are banned?

Major sporting events like the Olympic Games always raise the topic of "doping" — the use of banned substances capable of boosting athletic performance.

Athletes may dope for a variety of reasons, including the media pressure to win and the financial rewards that are tied to success. Very comPetitive athletes can be vulnerable to the idea that drugs may help them gain a "secret edge," Thomas Hildebrandt, a clinical psychologist at the Mount Sinai Health System in New York, told Live Science.

Athletes can also hold a belief that "everyone's doing it," whether they are or aren't, which can make doping seem normal, he said.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), an independent agency that coordinates global anti-doping policy, maintains an extensive list of banned substances and methods thought to increase an athletes' performance. Many items on the list are banned during competitions, specifically, and others are also banned during training.

WADA rules apply not only at the Olympics but also during other high-stake competitions, such as the FIFA World Cup, the Tour de France and international tennis competitions.

Here is a look at what is currently banned by WADA as of January 2024, and how these substances and methods are thought to work in the body to give athletes an edge.

Related: What's the most dangerous sport in the world?