The Enhanced Games, dubbed the 'steroid Olympics,' took place in Las Vegas over Memorial Day weekend, featuring 42 athletes who competed while using performance-enhancing drugs under medical supervision.

Organized by a Silicon Valley-backed startup, Enhanced Group, the event combines spectacle, competition, and business, offering cash prizes up to $1 million for world records.

Athletes included retired Olympians, professional bodybuilders, and some who abstained from enhancement, competing in swimming, weightlifting, and track events.

The games reflect Silicon Valley's growing interest in peptides and other compounds for physical enhancement, with startups like Enhanced, Superpower, and Noho Labs pushing FDA-approved and investigational products to a broad audience.

While proponents argue the controlled environment reduces risks compared to secret doping, critics warn about normalizing steroid use and the influence on young consumers.

The event blends athletic performance with entertainment, celebrity culture, and business promotion, illustrating the intersection of vanity, technology, and the emerging human enhancement industry.

Enhanced Group aims to expand this market through telehealth platforms and personalized treatments, turning chemical enhancement into a commercial enterprise.

Overall, the event highlights both the fascination and controversy surrounding peptides and performance enhancement in modern fitness and tech culture.