Anabolic Steroids: and the High School Athlete

Steroids have a long-term, negative effect on the human body. These effects range from cardiovascular problems to mental and psychological issues such as rage and anger problems. Steroid use has been linked to increased alcohol consumption, marijuana use, cigarette smoking, and narcotic use (Buckman, Farris & Yusko, 2013). Many athletes may not be aware of the lasting effects steroids can have because all they are worried about is their performance, not their health.

Steroids affect appearance. In both sexes, steroids can cause male pattern baldness, cysts, ache, and oily hair and skin. Steroids often make people feel edgy, moody, aggressive, and paranoid. Steroids can make a person angry and hostile for no reason. There are recorded cases of murder attributed to intense anger from steroid use. Anabolic steroid use effects fat distribution in the body. People who use steroids also appear to be at higher risk for using other drugs such as cocaine or alcohol, often to counteract some of the negative effects of steroids. Some steroid abusers report that they have committed aggressive acts, such as physical fighting or armed robbery, theft, vandalism, or burglary. Abusers who have committed aggressive acts or property crimes generally report that they engage in the behaviors more often when they take steroids then when they were drug free.

Another effect from steroid use is health problems. They are high blood pressure and heart disease, liver damage and cancer, kidney and prostate problems and increased risk of ruptured tendons… acne and hair loss, as well as gender-specific problems: atrophy of the testicles, reduced sperm count and the growth of breasts in men; the growth of body hair, deeper voice and menstrual problems in women… altered moods, depression and "roid rage", hallucinations, paranoia and anxiety. In adolescents, they can stunt growth by signaling the body

Steroid abuse has become a huge problem in professional sports today. Athletes are now using steroids to gain a competitive edge over their opponents. Also, the athletes are using the steroids to recover quickly from major injuries or surgeries. Many former superstar athletes have been caught taking steroids during the season and offseason.

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

When using steroids for a long period of time it can have many consequences. If he or her starts the use of steroid use in adolescence years it could change the behavior of him or her in greater ways and change them into their adult lives. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 9th through 12th graders have or use steroids 4.4-5.7 percent of boys and 1.9-3.8 percent of girls use. (Fernandez, Hosey, 2009)

Users have different reasons for doping and, subsequently, steroids have different health consequences. Some common side effects from steroid use are the following: acne, genital changes, water retention, yellowing of the eyes and skin; women may experience: male-pattern baldness, decreased breast size, deeper voices, hairy bodies, and menstrual irregularities; men may experience: reduced sperm production, shrinking of the testicles, impotence, difficulty or pain in urinating, baldness, and irreversible breast enlargement. But these are just minor setbacks right? One could say that, like those aren’t bad, but researchers have also linked steroid abuse to much more serious risks such as: fatal liver cysts, liver cancer, blood clotting, cholesterol changes, hypertension, stroke, and even heart attack. Despite all these potential problems, many still choose to take steroids.

There are many health risk for taking steroids such as increases chances for disease, physical and emotional dangers . Abusing steroids lead to bad cholesterol (livestrong).. Other time it turns into liver disease and can sometimes turn into possible liver cancer (livestrong). Steroids also cause physical dangers. Steroids cause the left heart ventricle it enlarge high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes.steroids contribute the development of CVD which changes how much cholesterol gets to the blood (livestrong). One of the common damages from steroids is tendon ruptures which is some sport cases and cause an end to a career (livestrong). The reason steroids cause the tendon to rupture is because it causes testosterone to rise causing a growth spurt during puberty and adolescence providing the signals to stop growth as well. and adolescence and provide the signals to stop growth as well (livestrong). Causing high sex hormones that can prematurely signal the bone to stop growing causing the tendon to rupture

Ali Mohamadi a medical officer at FDA said “Steroids, they are drugs that mimic the actions of the male sex hormone testosterone. This includes promoting the growth of cells, especially in muscle, and maintaining or increasing male physical characteristics. Various studies have been conducted and generally reflect the findings of a Youth Risk and Behavior Surveillance System study, which estimated that among U.S. middle school students, 4.9% of males and 2.4% of females have used anabolic steroids at least once in their lives. That’s 375,000 young men and 175,000 young women.” This number of students should be a sign that something is not rite. Most kids that do steroids are in sports. Students should not need steroids to be able to play in sports. Yes

"Other countries caught on, and by the mid-1960's the use was common.  By the early 1970's almost three quarters of the athletes involved in middle-or-short distance running or in field events admitted to using steroids, and most of the weight lifters also used steroids" (Kuhn 191).  Finally in 1976, anabolic steroids were banned but professional weight lifters continued to use them (Kuhn 191).

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

These specific steroids are man-made and are available legally under certain circumstances. They can be prescribed to an individual by a doctor to help treat conditions where the body produces a low amount of testosterone, body wasting in diseases such as AIDS which leads to a loss of lean muscle mass. In 2015, it was found that as many as 1,084,000 of Americans have used anabolic steroids and that 80% of them believed that the drugs could improve their athletic performance to enable them to reach their athletic goals (http://healthresearchfunding.org/20-incredible-statistics-steroid-use-professional-sports/). However, steroids cannot improve an individual’s athletic skills and agility, these are down to various factors such as generics, body size, sex, age, diet and the training regime.

Abusing the drug can cause severe changes in the body and the way one intends to live there life in the future. Excessive use of steroids can cause major change in skin and even cause diseases of the skin. Although acne is a common flaw, acne caused by steroid use is not always receptive to medical treatment. Also, since steroids are testosterone supplements, they tend to commonly cause balding in women and men alike. Another side effect of steroid abuse is complications of the liver. Overuse of the hormone supplement can cause a development of liver tumors. Although these tumors are not cancerous, they have the potential to turn into, or cause liver cancer. Finally, possibly the most fatal consequence of abusing steroids would be the risk of cardiovascular complications. When one abuses steroids they run the risk of stroking out or having a heart attack, both of which may lead to early heart failure. Using steroids is a risk that could mean more than just a step

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.

For adolescents the side effects are growth halted prematurely through premature skeletal maturation and accelerated puberty changes. This could mean adolescents will remain short for the rest of their lives if they take anabolic steroids before the typical adolescent growth spurt.