The first actual supplement that was used to increase the performance of athletes was steroids in the 1950's after test in the 1930's showed that steroids increased the muscle mass and performance of Dogs and POW's who suffered from male nutrition (Mero, 27). The first noted case of actual steroid usage for the purpose of increasing mass and strength performance was stated earlier in the 1950's by Russian power-lifters. According to The Steroid World Website (http://www.steroidworld.com/index2.htm), the developer of the steroids for those Russians was a scientist called Ziegler who was able to prove that strength gains and muscle mass enlargement were the result of Testosterone in the body. According to Ziegler, the increase in Testosterone will cause the body to increase in size and hormonal muscle strength. At around that time, the Lab which Ziegler work with (C.I.B.A. labs) created Dianabol (Methandrostenolone or D-bol), which is a popular steroid on the market. By 1964, all the top steroids were on the market and doctors used steroids in certain conditions for patients, to help cure them, yet nobody really knew the correct dosage for patients to take (Steroid World, 1999). Steroids were legal and legit to use until the mid 1980's when the FDA deemed that Steroids were hazardous to the health of those who use steroids and proclaimed them illegal (International Journal of Sports Medicine, 1998). On top of that decision by the FDA, most sports organizations also proclaimed the usage of Steroids to be unjust and proclaimed them illegal to use in sports competition (International Journal of Sports Medicine, 1998). Basically after steroids, other supplements for muscular performance were developed. Supplements such as metabolic enhancers and Whey Protein were developed and available on the market by legit distributors and developers. .
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Nowadays, regular supplement usage in professional athletes are recognized all over the world and are basically essential in the work ethic and effectiveness of that athlete.