1. Introduction
In today’s society, one of the most controversial subject that is popping up in the news, is the use of anabolic steroids as performance enhancing aids. Anabolic steroids are man-made derivatives of the male hormone testosterone (Hoffman and Ratamess, 2006). They have been associated with professional and amateur athletes across the world but in society today it is not just athletes themselves taking them, but the general population looking to improve body image (Bailey et al., 2016). The main reason why athletes use them is that they are said to increase muscle mass and strength via the stimulation of protein synthesis (Kicman, 2008).
In 1935, testosterone was first discovered and isolated from bulls’ testis (Schänzer, 1996) and by 1939 exogenous testosterone was said to be used to aid performance (Wu and Kovac, 2016). It wasn’t official until the 1950’s when the first reports came out of anabolic steroid use, especially among the German rowing team in 1952 and the Russian weightlifting team in 1954 (Wu and Kovac, 2016). Governing bodies such as the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and International Olympic Committee (IOC) then undertook a fight against doping (use of performance enhancers) banning the use most anabolic steroids in 1974 (Schänzer, 1996).
To deter the general population and athletes from using anabolic steroids, medical professionals have focused on studying the adverse side effects and efficacy of the steroids.
Also to control the misuse of
They’re among the world’s most controversial drugs. Not Heroin, Ganja, Coke or Crystal Meth, but Anabolic Steroids. Steroids are medical treatments that come in two varieties: Anabolic Steroids and Corticosteroids. These are both synthetic versions of hormones produced naturally in the body but they perform two completely different tasks. Corticosteroids are used by doctors to decrease inflammation. Anabolic Steroids are the familiar term for the synthetic version of the male sex hormone testosterone. Its technical name although, is Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids (AAS). “Anabolic referring to muscle-building and Androgenic referred to increased male sexual characteristics,” defined by the National
Since its first production in the 1940’s and its rise in the 1950’s, steroids have become ubiquitous with bodybuilding throughout the world and the sight of a steroid-enhanced body is now uniquely celebrated in certain cultures.
Summary Statement: In short we now know the history behind steroids; the different types admissions of
Steroids come with three different types of risks/side effects that include: mental health, addictive potential and physical dangers. Steroids have immediate effects on the brain of a user as soon as they begin taking them. As soon as steroids are introduced into the user’s system, they “[bind to the] androgen (male sex hormone) and estrogen (female sex hormone) receptors on the surface of a cell.” Studies have suggested that “steroids may contribute to psychiatric dysfunction, paranoid jealousy, extreme irritability, delusions, and impaired judgment stemming from feelings of invincibility” (“NIDA InfoFacts: Steroids (Anabolic-Androgenic)”, 2009). These mental side effects also contribute to the growing narcissistic nature of steroid users, where they feel invincible, that no one is better than them, or
Steroids (anabolic) are a drug that was discovered and made by medical scientists in the last 1930’s to help with medical problems. The drug was made to help with many medical problems such as testosterone, growth, sexual functioning, and other medical problems such as helping people with HIV to help grow musical. It also helps with many other diseases. Like any other drug on the market people learn that the drug can be used for many other ways. Steroids can enhance athlete’s performance as well as bodybuilders and is used in almost every sport out there. The use of steroids has become a widespread problem. Steroid use has caused many help problems with the misuse of the drug and has caused the drug to be illegal for people to use them in
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.
Throughout the history of athletics, humans have pursued new and innovative ways to construct better, faster, stronger athletes. Steroid use is one of the most popular choices among these athletes. Steroids, first created in the 1930s, are synthetic hormones that produce specific physiological effects on one's body (Center for Substance Abuse Research). Although the German scientists who discovered steroids did not intend its use for body building or creating better athletes, steroid use has developed into a controversial subject concerning the health of users and other moral issues. Overall, the use of steroids in athletics is physically and morally wrong because it essentially promotes the deterioration of the health of athletes and
Anabolic Steroids are commonly viewed as a miracle drug in order to increase muscle growth and definition, but what most users of the drug don’t know are the life altering effects that prolonged use can cause. When the drug was released in the late 50’s by scientists working for the Soviet Union, they had no idea what the lasting effects were going to be. At first the drug seemed to be almost a miracle, it helped the Soviet weightlifting team beat the American team by a long shot, but then the lifters began to experience certain bodily changes that were actually the onsets of horrendous life changing side effects that could have been prevented with further studies. Since that time, most states in North America and around have banned the distribution and use of the drug completely due to its adverse effects on the body, if caught using such drugs in professional sporting communities, it could land the athlete thousands of dollars’ worth of fines and they can even face up to five years in jail if they are found with the drug in their possession. On top of this, the risks involved can potentially alter the normal way of life for that athlete for the rest of his life, such risks include hormonal changes, cardiovascular problems, behavioral issues, and even problems with the reproductive system.
Pressure to perform well is widespread throughout amateur and professional athletics and can lead some individuals to pursue unsafe and illegal means to enhance performance. According to an article of LiveLeak in 2011, “Anabolic steroids are primarily used by bodybuilders, athletes, and fitness "buffs" who claim steroids give them a competitive advantage and/or improve their physical performance.” Likewise, individuals who have jobs wherein physical strength is necessary such as bodyguards, construction workers, and law enforcement officers, are said to take these drugs. Steroids are believed to cause expansion in body mass, muscle strength and even aggressiveness. Steroids are also thought to diminish the time of recovery in workouts, allowing
The Negative Impact of Anabolic Steroids on Humans In the YouTube video “The Man Whose Arms Exploded”, a man by the name of Greggory Valentino goes through a traumatic experience of his bicep practically exploding. Gregg went through a thirty-year body building journey and after twenty-three years of training naturally, he turned to steroids. Gregg believed that “performance enhancers”, also known as steroids, were the only way to become first. He was in the Guinness Records for world’s biggest biceps, therefore he was considered a minor celebrity in the United States.
Are you aware of 52 German athletes given anabolic steroids during the 1970's and 1980's who were examined in a 2007 study, one quarter got some form of cancer, one third reported thoughts or attempts of suicide, and the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth was 32 times higher than in the normal German population. Drug use in sports should not be allowed such as it already isn’t. Drugs use in sports such as steroids, can be good for the moment of the game, but after it could affect your body. But like all hormones, which regulate the body's most basic functions, throwing one's testosterone out of balance can have wide-ranging consequences. It is true that steroids build up your muscle although they are powerful hormones and affect the whole body. Side effects may include abnormally high levels of testosterone in the body and may include high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, liver damage, heart failure, acne, baldness, as well as aggressive and violent behavior. The use of drugs such as steroids, should not come into play when it comes to athletes, to play a sport you must have natural talent and not use steroids to make you even better, you gain an unfair advantage.
In the past three decades, steroids has been becoming a serious problem more than ever in the athletic field. Steroids are anabolic drug "to build" growth hormones that include the androgens (male sex hormones) principally testosterone and estrogen and progestogens (female sex hormones). Steroids were first developed for medical purposes. They're used in controlling inflammation, strengthening weakened hearts, preventing conception, and alleviating symptoms of arthritis and asthma. Unfortunately research has shown that steroids have been abused in almost every kind of sport. Although steroids contribute to a muscular body, usage should remain illegal because they physically deteriorate and mentally destroy the body.
In today’s society, athletes are revered as heroes. There is immense pressure to be the best. Athletes are willing to do whatever it takes to gain an edge, even if it means compromising their health. For almost three decades, athletes have been supplementing their strength program with anabolic steroids to enhance their performance. To be sure, anabolic steroids are effective supplements to strength training programs, but there is no doubt that the consequences can be deleterious.
In today’s society in athletics, muscle mass and strength seem more important than in years past. It is believed that many athletes use anabolic steroids to increase their muscle mass and also their strength. Anabolic steroids are a group of synthetic hormones that promote the storage of proteins and the growth of tissue, sometimes used by athletes to increase muscle size and strength. Before the mid 1970’s the use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) was used mainly by highly trained athletes especially those involved in weight training. Since then other athletes including those involved in recreational sports and non-competitive sports have started using the steroids. Steroids are also being used by many school age children