The last great advances in PEDs are, in order of importance:
1) Widespread availability of cheap HGH
2) widespread availability of GH peptides
3) SARMS (way down on the list)
The HGH thing came in the early-mid 00s. Some guys were using it long before then but it wasn’t easy or cheap for most guys until 2000-2007.
The cheap peptides and SARMS are more recent but aren’t as efficacious.
Everyone uses basically the same anabolic agents as they did 40 years ago. Yes, there are “designer” steroids but they’re just variations on one of the existing 3 basic lines of AAS altered to be less detectible. Steroid usage is mostly what it has always been, subject to a couple of possible developments.
The idea of microdosing short-estered (or no-estered) testosterone is probably sort of new. And the more recent trenbelone positives (I don’t remember many, if any, tren busts for sprinters/runners before the last few years) suggests people are trying stuff typically thought of as bodybuilder drugs. On that note, away from steroids, recall that BALCO was using insulin. Bodybuilders have been on insulin since at least the 80s but I think that was probably one of the first times track runners tried it.
The greatest advances of late have been facilitated by HGH and peptides, which greatly increase anaerobic work capacity and result in an enhanced ability to maintain speed. Top velocity hasn’t moved much since the 80s: Ben Johnson and Carl Lewis both hit 0.83 for 10m splits; Bolt hit 0.81 but he’s a class apart; I’m not sure anyone else has hit 0.82. But the top guys are holding their 0.84s for longer.
Too much is made of drugs on this board, as I’ve repeatedly explained, though few believe me. Do the PEDS help? Yes, big time. But the top guys are still the top guys because they’re the best. The widespread accessibility of the ergonomic aids should moot most of these accusations and convos - it’s an even playing field, people. There’s no secret sauce that only some athletes have.