Anabolic Steroid Abuse

Drugs in sports is becoming a problem everywhere. “Another 26-year old athlete died of liver cancer after taking a number of different types of steroids over a four year period ” (Drugs and…). This is significant because this shows how dangerous drugs can be. If we have drug testing in schools this student could still be alive and would have stopped drugs before it got bad. The evidence points to the fact that drugs are a major health risk that is very concerning. In some cases taking drugs can even lead to death. In addition, another situation took place that affected a college student named Bob. Bob tried everything to gain weight so he could play football, so he chose to try steroids like everyone else. Steroids got him to play professional football, but horrible things were happening to him. He was having serious health problems. Bob quit drugs and is lucky to be alive (Drugs and…). This connects to the fact that doing drugs is a major

The competitive drive to win at all cost is fierce among athletes. Winning at all cost often includes using one of many performance enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids. Many athletes use performance enhancing drugs, like steroids, to achieve higher goals and set higher records than other drug-free successful athletes. Although athletes are performing at higher levels when using such drugs, what is the cost? Finally anabolic steroids should remain banned from sports because their use results in many harmful side effects; because their use violates sports regulations, and because their use can cause death.

Abstract:  With the increase of competition has also come the need to become bigger and stronger than the opponent.  The use of steroids among athletes has caused the focus of the game to change.  No longer does an athlete want to win by doing their best, but they want to become bigger and have an advantage over the opponent.  Ultimately, all athletes feel that they need to use performance-enhancing drugs to compete at the same level. Despite all of the warnings and information on performance-enhancing drugs, athletes continue to use them and overlook the potential health risks associated with steroids.

Former Notre Dame Football coach, Knute Rockne, once said, “Show me a good and gracious loser and I’ll show you a failure,” (“The Future of Steroids”). The importance of winning in sports and being the greatest has grown immensely. This unquenchable desire to be stronger, faster, and more agile than the opponent, has caused many athletes to stop at nothing to be the best; this pressure has caused athletes to take banned and illegal substances known as performance-enhancing drugs (Performance-enhancing drugs) to achieve maximum strength and speed. The use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs in sports has been obvious to many spectators and sports enthusiasts for quite some time now, and athletes who have been found guilty of taking

In all areas of sports, professional, college, and even high school, there is widespread illegal use of performance-enhancing drugs. It seems like you can’t go more than a week without hearing about somebody’s PED problems. Although there are many reasons for athletes to choose to use these drugs, the cost of such use, both to the athlete and to society can be extraordinarily high. The question that many people must answer to themselves is “is it worth the risk”. Therefore, it is important to understand why performance-enhancing drugs are used, the consequences of their use, and then apply that knowledge to how they are represented in the media.

Steroids are the single most abused performance-enhancing substance in the history of sports. As popular as the drug may be, the DEA listed anabolic steroids as a controlled substance under the Controlled Substance Act in 1990: meaning steroids can only be prescribed by a medical professional (Parks 12). Steroids are not only creating a poor image of professional sports, they also set a terrible example for the athletic, competitive youth of this generation. Children venerate their role models - like Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds - and think the only way to be as successful as they are is to do as they do: use steroids. What the youth are too naïve to consider is that steroids do not improve agility, skill or cardiovascular capacity, and can prematurely stunt growth and destroy the liver of adolescents (ESPN). While the effects on the youth cannot be ignored, the everlasting effects on sports themselves leave a tarnished sense of distrust. Dr. Paul Finkelman stated, “Steroids undermine the integrity [of the game] by placing in doubt the skill of players, as fans assume that homers are hit because of steroids, not skill” (ProCon). The problem with making a stricter Performance Enhancing Drug (PED) testing policy is that if one substance becomes too recognizable, there will always be new, untested drugs which can cause more harm to one’s body than steroids ever would (Ropp). Random drug testing has proven successful in the past, but tests are very expensive and can sometimes be

Performance-enhancing substances have been a hot topic in professional sports for many years. Although most people have heard about them, they do not realize that they can be a major problem for adolescents. Steve Pasieb, the President and CEO of Partnership for Drug-Free Kids stated, “‘Young people are seeking out and using performance-enhancing substances like synthetic hGH- and supplements purporting to contain hGH- hoping to improve athletic performance or body appearance without really knowing what substances they are putting into their bodies (Feliz).”’ Adolescents using performance-enhancing drugs are likely to be harmed, due to the dangers that come with taking them. Taking PED’s can be a huge problem for teens. These drugs can affect

Gym Candy, ‘roids, juice, pumpers, weight trainers, clear, beans and hype (Steroids and their). All of these words are slang for the illegal substance known more commonly as anabolic steroids and HGH (human growth hormone). The controversy surrounding anabolic steroids and HGH in sports has stormed to the forefront of the many problems that plague America today. Anabolic steroids are synthetic chemicals that mimic the effects of the male sex hormone testosterone. Some athletes seeking increased muscular strength and size abuse anabolic steroids (Ricki Lewis). According to Fox News, ¬¬¬5% of middle school and high school aged- children have or currently use anabolic steroids. 30 to 40% of college and professional athletes use steroids, as well as 10-20% of high school athletes (Ricki Lewis). Despite their illegality, law enforcement officials cannot devote more resources to policing steroid use and trafficking because they are still fighting the abuse of other illegal drugs that affect many more young people (McCloskey and Bailes). Many athletes looking to gain a competitive edge on all levels use anabolic steroids because of their muscle growth and muscle building benefits, but overlook the extensive list of sometimes life-threatening side effects that steroids may bring. I believe that athletes should not believe they have the right to take steroids to gain an even slight competitive advantage because it leads to a larger ethical problem

Anabolic steroid abuse has become a national concern among high school athletes. There has been a dramatic increase in the number of athletes using these performance enhancing drugs in high school almost double the number using since the 1980's. These athletes feel that steroids gives them the competitive edge that they think they need to boost themselves past the competition.

The use of steroids by athletes to gain muscle mass is rapid and effective. Each individual user makes a decision based on the activity they participate. Some athletes desire to jump higher, others to run faster, or to throw the farthest and hit home runs, yet others desire to bench the highest weight possible; and football players want to improve on lean body mass and have a comparative edge, whether in high school, collage, or the pros. Andrew Rensik, of 9BNEWS reports that, "national statistics show that as much as ten percent of high school athletes are involved in steroids" (9NEWS.com). A university of Michigan report by the Monitoring Future Study puts steroid use at 4 percent in 2002, up from 25 percent in 2000. In 1992 71 percent of high school seniors felt that steroid use wasn't worth risking their health, that number dropped to 51 percent in 2002 (www.nsba.org, Ron Kriochic, Mitch Stephens). "Peak rates of annual use occurred in 2002 and 2004 for 12th graders (2.5 percent), in 2000 and 2002 for 10th graders (2.2 percent). Eighth graders reported significant decrease in lifetime and annual steroid use in 2004, as well as a decrease in perceived availability of steroid drugs. A significant decrease was also measured among 10th graders for 2004" (Infofacts 2).

“…medical researchers believe that between 1 and 3 million youths and adults have taken anabolic steroids in one form or another specifically to enhance their looks or athletic performances,” stated Nuwer (Nuwer, 61). As astounding as these figures are, the number of performance drug users is steadily increasing. With this progressively increasing numbers, it is projected that millions more will use steroids in the immediate future (Newer, 61). Athletes have always sought an advantage in competition even if ignoring the law and their health if necessary. Using drugs of any sort to facilitate an athlete’s athletic ability should be illegal. The use of performance enhancing drugs is not only detrimental to the user but it also creates an

Steroids is abused by a range of athletes and students. “In a 2002 National Institute of Drug Abuse study, 2.5% of 8th graders, 2.5% of 10th graders, and 4% of 12th graders admitted to using steroids at some time.” (Steroid Abuse Moves Into the Scholastic Arena, 2008) Steroids abuse is not only found in athletes but also those who struggle with body image.

Anabolic steroids will either help a person or break a person. Anabolic Steroids affect the body,emotions, hormones, and cause deadly infections. Anabolic Steroids also help people with body conditions.

Athletes, whether they are young or old, professional or amateur, are always looking to gain an advantage over their opponents to come away with the win. The desire for an "edge" exists in all sports, at all levels of play, from peewee wrestling to professional football. Successful athletes rely on skill, practice, and hard work to increase their skills, speed, power, and ability. Today, high school and even middle school students are using steroids illegally. The United Institute of Health reported that 2.9% of twelve graders in high school have used anabolic steroids(Drugs In Sports, 2) These drugs may also have been called: roids, juice, gym candy, pumpers, stackers, balls or bulls, arnies, or anabolics(Anabolic Steroids, 1). Also most

More and more, of our society views winning more important than itself. Success in competition brings status, popularity, and fame, not to mention college scholarships. Today’s athletes are looking for an advantage over the competition that will make them winners. Unfortunately, the drugs of today are caught up in the high stakes competition frenzy. Of this reality, teenage use of performance improved drugs is growing ever more popular. In colleges and in the professional league a lot of people are doing drugs and its ruining their health and life. Also, if some teenagers take performance drugs they are making them better than everyone else giving themselves an advantage over everyone else which is cheating, so why should they get money