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A Dangerous Choice - Over the years, the reputation of professional baseball has had its fair share of controversy as a number of high-profile players have admitted to taking performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). This week, Major League Baseball suspended Milwaukee Brewers star Ryan Braun for the rest of the 2013 season over a violation of the league's drug policy. Keep reading for a closer look at PEDs, their risks and how some athletes are cheating the system. — Britt Middleton (Photo: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

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Other MLB Players Under Investigation - Braun is one of a dozen players, including Alex Rodriguez, under investigation for ties to an anti-aging clinic in Florida that is accused of distributing performance-enhancing drugs. (Photo: AP Photo/PennLive.com, Christine Baker)

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Anabolic Steroids - Also known as anabolic-androgen steroids, some athletes take this hormone to increase their muscle mass and strength. (Photo: Roland Weihrauch DPA /LANDOV)

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What Is Testosterone? - The Mayo Clinic describes testosterone as the main anabolic steroid hormone produced by your body. Testosterone has two effects on your body: anabolic effects, which promote muscle building, and androgenic effects, which are linked to male traits such as facial hair and a deeper voice. While these hormones do have approved medical uses, use for improving athletic performance is not one of them, according to the health website. (Photo: Andersen Ross/Getty Images)

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How Are They Administered? - Anabolic steroids can be taken as pills, injections or topical treatments such as creams. (Photo: REUTERS/Andrea Comas /Landov)

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Why Take Steroids? - According to the Mayo Clinic, some athletes are drawn to anabolic steroids because they may help speed up recovery time after a tough workout by reducing muscle damage. "This enables athletes to work out harder and more frequently without overtraining. In addition, some athletes may like the aggressive feelings they get when they take the drugs," according to the health website. (Photo: Erik Isakson/Getty Images)

Photo By Erik Isakson/Getty Images

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"Designer Drugs" - So-called designer drugs are especially dangerous forms of anabolic steroids that are specifically designed to be undetectable by drug tests. During his 2003 doping scandal, former MLB star Barry Bonds said in his grand jury testimony that he used an anabolic steroid known as "the clear," a form of the designer steroid tetrahydrogestrinone, and "the cream," which is used to mask certain hormones from showing up in drug tests. He said he did not know they were performance-enhancing drugs at the time. (Photo: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

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Risk Factors in Men - Use of anabolic steroids in men increases the risk for baldness, shrunken testicles, infertility, impotence and the development of breasts, according to the Mayo Clinic. (Photo: Joseph C. Justice Jr./Getty Images)

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Risk Factors in Women - In women, anabolic steroids can lead to a deeper voice, increased body hair, enlarged clitoris, baldness, infrequent or absent periods. In both men and women, the drug can cause severe acne, depression, aggressive behavior and high blood pressure among other serious health complications. (Photo: Rolf Bruderer/Getty Images)

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Androstenedione - Androstenedione is a hormone produced in the adrenal glands, ovaries and testes. Drug manufacturers claim the hormone helps athletes compete harder and recover more quickly, but a number of scientific studies have rebuked these statements. Using Androstenedione as a performance-enhancing drug is illegal in the United States. (Photo: MCT /Landov)

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Human Growth Hormone - Human growth hormone (also known as gonadotropin) has an anabolic effect on the body. Some athletes take it to improve muscle mass and performance, though medical students have not conclusively found this to be true. It is only available by prescription and is administered through injection. (Photo: REUTERS/Keith Bedford/LANDOV)

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Deer Antler Spray and Scandal - Earlier this year, former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis was accused of using what is known as deer antler spray to help him recover from a torn tricep muscle. Deer Antler velvet, a building block protein, has been credited with increasing blood flow and improving kidney function and some athletes take it to increase muscle-building cells after injury. (Photo: Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

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IGF-1 Scandal - Deer antler spray contains insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which was once classified as a performance enhancing drug by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and banned in professional sports leagues, including the NFL and MLB. The WADA has lifted its ban on the substance after only negligible amounts of IGF-1 were found. (Photo: Courtesy of The World Anti-Doping Agency)

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Erythropoietin - Erythropoietin (EPO) is a hormone naturally produced in the kidneys that increases "production of red blood cells and hemoglobin, resulting in improved movement of oxygen to the muscles," the Mayo Clinic writes. Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong admitted to using EPO, illegal blood transfusions and testosterone to help him win seven Tour de France titles and a bronze Olympic medal. EPO has been banned by the WADA since the 1990s. (Photo: Lucas Jackson /Landov/REUTERS)

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Cheating the Tests - A urine sample is the most common test for performance-enhancing drugs. In order to "beat" the test, some athletes resort to swapping their urine with someone who is not using banned substances. (Photo: Purestock/Getty Images)

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Other Methods - They may also use diuretics (also known as water pills) to "cleanse" their system or illegal blood transfusions, which increase the blood's oxygen carrying capacity. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) is the national anti-doping organization for the Olympic movement, and spearheaded the investigation into Armstrong during his doping scandal. (Photo: Freddie Vargas/Getty Images)