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 …show more content…
While this might not seem like that many, a teen is more likely to use something if it is easier to get. In some places performance-enhancing drugs can be bought online; on the contrary, buying them online is usually only legal for adults. Adolescents get the drugs similar to other illegal drugs, like cocaine and marijuana. They get steroids from the black market and people called ‘gym dealers’ (Susan). Getting enhancing substances in these ways are not always safe and probably shouldn’t be trusted. Black market and gym dealer also aren’t legal since they are not prescribed. Stated in the article “Performance-enhancing drugs and teen athletes,” “Most steroid precursors are illegal without a prescription.” Use of steroids without a doctor prescription can be extremely dangerous for adolescents using them. For this reason, the government is very strict on the use of PED’s. Josie Feliz, author of “National Study: Teens Report Higher use of Performance Enhancing Substances,” mentioned that medical uses of performance enhancing drugs are actually allowed, but non-prescribed use is illegal. This is because, as she also confirmed, illegally obtained steroid do not ensure safety or effects. In addition, the drugs gotten on the street have not been tested for stores. Taking these banned substances can lead to disaster, as a result of not …show more content…
Many of the physical effects are terrible and teens shouldn’t have to deal with them. Even though the effects of steroids are hazardous, athletes still use them to try and gain an edge. PED’s are thought by many to increase strength and aggressiveness, decrease fatigue, attain greater intensity, and make athletes have more duration (Anderson). On one hand these are true for some athletes. But on the other hand physical effects trump the potential benefits from the different drugs. Athletes still want to win no matter what and this is acknowledged by Susan Jay, “Reasons for use volunteered by respondents in a space provided included improvements in sexual performance, body definition, mass, penile size, and ligament strength.” These, along with others, are why people use steroids. PED use causes negative effects. A few physical changes in males are changes in body, muscle growth, rapid weight gain, and development of upper body. These are not always easy to point out. Some more are enlarged breasts, male-pattern baldness, shrinking of testicles, and excessive body hair growth (“Performance-enhancing drugs and teen athletes”). These are a problem for adolescent athletes. The other effects can be more frightening. Mentioned in “Performance-enhancing drugs and teen athletes,” blood clotting, high blood pressure and cholesterol, liver problems, and reduced sperm productions are a
Performance-enhancing drugs (PED 's) have been an issue for many decades now for the medical and sports field. Olympic and professional athletes have been using them to gain an upper hand on the competition, but some may ask if it 's really worth it? Studies show that performance-enhancing drugs have been proven to negatively affect the health of athletes who take them. Simply put, performance-enhancing drugs could either improve athletic performance or can be extremely dangerous, in certain situations, deadly. There have been strict rules and drug testing in the professional sporting organizations, as well as in world competitions. For example, in the summer of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, in two of the
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)
First, PED use can influence kids in the wrong way and make them believe PED’s are helpful. Second, PED use is also a big problem in sports which can be fixed, through many things such as better testing, and increased education on what PED’s have an effect on your body. Finally the after effects of PED’s are also bad. They can lead to instability and serious problems that get the user into the hospital. Think twice about using steroids. Don’t end up like other athletes that have used steroids. Take them as an example of somebody not to look up
For many years sports have played huge roles in human’s everyday lives. From entertainment, political, financial and to actually competing in them. The task for the sportsmen or women, especially in the top rank, is to beat the other competitors and get a good result from it. Here there is a high amount of pressure on many athletes coming from the media, coaches, themselves etc. They have the wanting to do well and achieve their goals and aims so much that some of the athletes turn to performance enhancing drugs. Obviously training for competition is the main thing to do but using drugs is another helper to succeeding. So, to their way of thinking, doping does not seem like cheating it just seems like
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
The steroid use among secondary school competitors has multiplied between the times of 1991 and 2003. Weaver clarifies the risks of steroid use among youthful competitors. The utilization of steroids can make harm the heart and liver. It can likewise bring about skin break out and weight pick up. Weaver likewise clarifies the withdrawals from steroid utilize like discouragement enduring up to 6 months. As per Dr. Yesalis, the utilization of steroids is expanding among secondary school competitors since it's "A medication that can make you more well known, sexually appealing and can make you a
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.
Anabolic steroid abuse has become a huge concern among high school athletes. There has been a dramatic increase in the number of athletes using performance enhancing drugs in high school, almost double the number since the 1980's. Student athletes feel that steroids give them a competitive edge that they think they need to boost themselves past competition. 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 biggest win, our society views winning as something more important than the game 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, today student athletes are getting caught up in this competition frenzy and because of this, teenage use of performance enhancing drugs is growing to be very popular. At all levels of play, from peewee wrestling to professional football. Successful athletes rely on skill, practice, and hard work to increase their 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. These drugs may also have been called: roids, juice, gym candy, pumpers, stackers, balls or bulls, arnies, or anabolics. High School students of our
PED use has been a controversial topic over the past few decades in professional, both professional and non-professional. There are many positive and negative effects of the use of these type of drugs. The drugs have been said to even out the playing field if the availability was open to everybody, get the body bigger in a shorter amount of time than just training, and make for better and longer lasting events. They have also been said to eliminate the moral and principle of sports, not everybody can respond to the drugs the same way, and they may be linked to long-term negative effects on the human body. Other debates that have been brought up are the influence of these athletes on younger generations and the representation of the the club or team that these athletes play for. It has been a long and controversial road and debate over PED’s.
The most commonly discussed issue in sports of the 21st century is the use of performance enhancing drugs by professional athletes. Over the past four years, it has been nearly impossible to turn on the television without hearing something about athletes and these drugs. From former National League MVP Third Baseman Ken Caminiti's admission of steroid use in an issue of Sports Illustrated (Verducci, 2004) to 2006 Tour de France Champion Floyd Landis being stripped of title due to a failed doping test (Blue, 2006) virtually every sport is involved. Are performance enhancing drugs a substance that threatens the very existence of professional sports, or are they the future? Perhaps the issue
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
Currently it is an estimated that at least 6.67 percent of high school seniors in the United States have tried steroids, which is 500,000 males between the ages of 17 and 18 (Anabolic Steroids). The pressure of steroids on teenagers is constantly drilled into their heads because they associate increased strength with perfection. Teenagers are under immense pressure to be perfect. Kids are pressured to do well in school, sports, and any other activities that they are participating in. Anything other than the best is unacceptable and failure which strikes and leads to disrespect. Failure has the sole purpose of tearing people from their self confidence and lending them to be insecure, questioning their abilities and themselves. It does
Thirdly, many serious side effects and health risks are involved with using PEDs. The benefits of these drugs are really not worth the risks. ‘It is already known that steroids cause liver damage, heart attacks and strokes.’ (Mirkin, 2007) What’s worse, these drugs harm not only the athletes themselves but also harm their children. Mirkin (2007) said that, through a study on the children of the athletes who use PEDs, ‘more than 25 percent had
Along with the physical problems there are also mental 54reactions associated with the usage of steroids. This drug becomes very addictive and damaging to the mind. It causes violent episodes which an athlete can claim a legal insanity defense to it. They get so wrapped up psychologically that the negative effects doesn't matter to them. Research has also discovered that steroids cause psychotic side effects sometimes referred to as "roid mania". Along with these are wild aggressive, combative behavior, depression, listlessness and delusions during and after performance. Even though the
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