The Increased Use of Steroids in Athletics Essay

Anabolic Steroids are taken by athletes to increase muscle mass while decreasing fat rapidly and efficiently. They can push the physiological limits of the muscle, making it bigger, faster and stronger than it can get naturally. Steroids achieve this affect on the body by enhancing the natural process of muscle building. The use of steroids has had a negative impact on the lives and careers of many athletes, causing suspensions, bans, and even the loss of medals and other awards and records earned in international events. A few of the high profile athletes whose lives and careers by their anabolic steroid use include: Barry Bonds, Lyle Alzada, Jose Canseco, Ben Johnson, Chris Benoit, Roger Clemens, Marion Jones, Alex Rodriguez and Lance Armstrong.

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.

Anabolic steroids are taken by tablet, injection, and also by pads on the skin. Even with the possible benefits that steroids could possibly have there are many many more dangers. Some of these include deep depression, aggression, and bad nervousness. Some physical dangers include high blood pressure, liver disorders, and even going bald. The athlete that makes the poor decision to use steroids, also faces the danger of getting caught and being suspended or even banned from the professional sport of which they

They are abused by both athletes and non-athletes in an attempt to “enhance performance and/or physical appearance” (“NIDA InfoFacts: Steroids (Anabolic-Androgenic)”, 2009). Steroids, typically taken orally or by injection, are used in “cycles” where a user takes steroids for a period of time, then stops for another length of time and then the pattern continues. Steroids are considered very dangerous, fickle substances that have the potential to mess up the user’s bodily functions if care is not taken while on them.

Anabolic and androgenic steroids come in many different forms. The most popular form is a pill and is easy to take. The draw back of the pill is it is hard on the liver and kidneys because it passes through the system in a couple of hours. Another popular form is cream. The cream’s advantage is it is easy to apply and is less harmful to the body. The draw back is it is very ineffective. The last form is injection. Injecting straight into the muscle gives the best results. Most serious athletes that use enhancement drugs take pills every day of their cycle and inject three times a week.

Steroids come in two forms, either injectable or as tablets which are swallowed and which are broken down and transferred directly into the testosterone producing organs. Injectable steroids seem to cause less damage in men but the steroids in pill form may be less dangerous for women, as they do not damage the liver as much as steroids that are swallowed as pills. However, people using injectable steroids run all the risk associated with injecting any drug, that brings me to the effects steroids have on the body.

Type the word “steroid” in a search engine. Within seconds, a colossal list of websites pertaining to the topic appears and three bold words stand out at the top of the page. They read: Steroids for Sale. With a few clicks and a credit card number later, an athlete can be using steroids in a matter of days. Illegal steroids can not only be effortlessly purchased online but, they can also be attained through the black market or by simply crossing the border into Mexico (Side-Effects, 3). Farrey described that, “In the past decade, pharmacies have popped up all over the city

People use steroids for many reasons whether it is to bulk up, perform faster and stronger or to improve their physique. Steroids are known to produce both anabolic and androgenic effects. Which are muscle building and masculine characteristic effects. The anabolic effects raise testosterone

So what exactly are steroids? Steroids are a synthetic substance closely related to the male sex hormone, testosterone. They are legally prescribed for some medical conditions such as AIDS, some cancers, and anemia. This is a vital medication for people with these sicknesses that make the body weaker. (Adams)A very common misconception is that steroids give you muscle. They do not. It builds protein faster then normal which allows people to work out more often. Scientifically, the human body has millions of cell receptors that accept the drug an in turn tell the body what action to perform. In particular, when

Unfortunately, many athletes have reportedly confessed or have been accused of using steroids in many different fields of sports, though steroids are banned in all professional sports and in the Olympics. Athlete’s purpose to consume them is to reach a certain competitive level or to recover rapidly from an injury. Results show that they are consumed mainly by males and very prominent in high school for those participating in sports. Adolescents feel and have a tremendous pressure to be stronger, faster and make it to a college or professional level, leading them to consider consuming steroids. For athletes to reach their ideal size and weight, all they would need is a healthy diet and a daily, high-intensity workout. There are numerous personal accounts on ex-steroid users who regret taking steroids because they either lost something physically or lost themselves. Athletes can find other nutrients or supplements in exchange for steroids that instead of building muscles, they boost their testosterone. Still many athletes question whether or not taking steroids is worth the risk of loosing their honors, their public and possibly their job. Athletes risk not only their health in consuming steroids but also their careers which can lead to being suspended, disqualified or even dismissed. In

Anabolic steroids are a complex molecule used to trick the mind into thinking that testosterone is being produced. An American doctor in the 1930s developed anabolic steroids for the use of “building body tissue and preventing the breakdown of tissue” (“Athletes and Steroids”). An FDA review later failed to find evidence that these anabolic steroids had positive effects for those purposes. As time went on people found that steroids increase muscle mass significantly, and they began to abuse that power. Many athletes began to join in, creating a dilemma not only for their health issues but for the game itself. Many athletes have broken records, won awards, and achieved goals they would not have achieved if they didn 't

Steroids have many different effects, mostly negative. They cause the rapid increase of strength and power (Roberts, 2). Steroids help to heal muscles quicker after they have been used. It acts as the male hormone testosterone and gives the user more energy. This is the effect that most users are trying to obtain. They also have the effect of powering up the bodies metabolism and helps to burn body fat. This output is looked for mostly obsess people. With have the time and effort of regular diet and weight training steroids may look like a great quick body tune-up. However the negative effects may short live the positive by a long shot.

There are a number of ways that anabolic steroids are used including medical uses. Some people take steroids orally, by injection, or by rubbing gels or creams onto skin. "Abusers take 10-100 times larger doses than would be prescribed by a doctor" (Blue and Lombardo 98).

Steroids are a Schedule III controlled substance in the U.S. and are illegal to own or use without a prescription from a doctor. Banned in almost all athletic competitions and sports because they work so well, but are dangerous in large quantities as anything else is. More properly known as anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) and are synthetic derivatives of testosterone, that behave like male sex hormones. They include hormones, alkaloids, and vitamins. Steroids can be taken three different ways; as a cream applied to the skin, Injected into the bloodstream, or orally as a pill. The increase in testosterone benefits from using steroids is an increase in body size, increase in muscle strength, and an increased healing rate. The risk factors of increased testosterone are unwanted libido, aggression, acne, hair loss, increase of blood pressure, and decreases your “good” Cholesterol (Livestrong). The risks of your overall health continue into kidney problems, liver damage, and altering your heart structure and function. AAS are banned in most sports because of their short term increase in muscle strength and long term health risks, which gives users an unfair advantage in sports.

In male patients, testosterone also helps the male reproductive organs. Mistaken as only a male hormone, testosterone is also found in females. Although for females it is in lower dosages or smaller amounts. The average adult male in one day can produce a total amount anywhere from 2.5-11 milligrams of testosterone. An average steroids abuser injects themselves with 100 or more milligrams of testosterone a day (Anabolic Steroids). Originally, steroids were developed to increase strength of German soldiers in the 1930’s during World War II (Anabolic Steroids). Modern medicine restricts the use of anabolic steroids with only a couple exceptions such as bone marrow stimulations, growth stimulations, stimulations of appetite, and perseveration of muscle mass. Anabolic steroids also are used to help treat breast cancer and angioedema which side effects can result in swelling of the face, arms, legs, throat, windpipe, bowels, or sexual organs(Anabolic Steroids). There are many different types of steroids some of the most common legal types in the United States including boldenone (Equipoise), ehtlestrenol (Maxibolin), fluoxymesterone (Halotestin), methandriol, methandrostenolone (Diannabol), methyltestosterone, nandrolone, (Dyrabolin DecaDurabolin), oxandrolone (Anavar), oxymetholone (Anadrol), stanozolol (Winstrol), testosterone including sustanon, and trenbolone (Finajet). This is not including the many illegal imitation anabolic