What term describes the use of substances to enhance athletic performance?

The term that describes the use of substances to enhance athletic performance is "doping." Doping refers specifically to the practice of taking prohibited drugs or using methods that artificially improve an athlete's performance, violating the rules of sports and competitions. This could involve using anabolic steroids, hormones, or other performance-enhancing drugs that can lead to significant advantages in physical capabilities, endurance, strength, or recovery.

The context of doping is essential in sports regulatory bodies, which have strict guidelines and testing protocols in place to discourage and penalize its use to ensure fair competition. While terms like "substance abuse" could apply to a broader context of using drugs for non-medical reasons, doping is specifically focused on enhancing athletic performance in competitive settings. Similarly, "composition" and "combining" do not directly relate to the use of substances in sports performance enhancement.