Ever since the dawn of man, it has become quite clear that the human race, as a species, contains the very prominent animal instinct to combat against one another. Whether it be to win a competition, intimidate others, or simply impress a woman, it is obvious that our species embraces its natural design to compete. However, some go to greater lengths than others to reach the desired dominant status. Humanity, in hopes of gaining the most “competitive edge” and triumphing in the quest to excel and stand out among peers, has attempted in every way to obtain the physical prowess which their adversaries lack. Ancient Olympiads have even resorted to devouring whole goat testicles while Zulu warriors gulped down brews of grape skin and ancient Greeks consumed ground donkey hooves in hopes of acquiring such advantages (Yu-Hsuan Lee 7). These methods may seem obscene, unorthodox, and taboo to society today and although some may argue that in today’s times we do not go to as great of lengths as our ancestors, in reality, it is today’s civilization that has taken performance-enhancing drugs to its extreme.
In modern society, steroids have essentially become the new goat testicle. By definition, an anabolic steroid is: “A group of synthetic hormones that promote the storage of protein and the growth of tissue, sometimes used by athletes to increase muscle size and strength” (The Free Dictionary). When used, steroids can increase both muscle mass and strength significantly but with extreme consequences that cause irreparable damage to the human body. In men, acne, a skin disease in which pimples sprout on the skin, will begin to form, breasts will develop, and they will face urological issues and lethal heart conditions. However, women are ...
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...mpletely oblivious to their effects, while being essentially brainwashed by them, advertisements may prove to be the underlying key factor in encouraging the youth especially, along with many other individuals, that they are unfit to be labeled as “handsome”, “strong and built” or “beautiful”. In hopes of becoming the “lean and cut” people they witness displayed universally, including the television and billboards, many of the youth are beginning to resort to steroids at an alarming and gradually increasing rate (refer to figure 2). These ads, designed to make an impression of what beauty truly is in the minds of its viewers, have a direct effect on the way people examine themselves. Consequently, much more people are becoming willing to endure the negative effects of steroids on their own bodies, just for the brief taste of what it is to be socially “acceptable”.
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 especially those involved in sports in the schools. Everyone wants to be bigger, stronger, and faster and will do almost anything to gain this.
Every year high school, college, and professional athletes try to get just ?a little bigger,??a little stronger,? and to increase the amount of weights they lift by, ?just a few pounds.? To achieve these goals athletes often turn to anabolic steroids to aid them in achieving their goals. Anabolic steroids are a quick, but dangerous way to increase muscle mass, and they can carry many risks including some life threatening side affects. Years after taking steroids athletes can live to have serious heart problems, sterility, or possibly not even live, all because of foolish decisions they made in the past. These potentially fatal drugs are not widely known by young athletes at all, because they don?t know about the risks that can go along with them. In school, every student is taught about marijuana, cocaine,heroin, sex, liquor, and all those other health risks, but they?re never taught about ?roids? or ?juice.? (slang words for steroids) That should be changed, because it is known that student athletes often use steroids, not knowing the risks. Many times they take the risk because they hear about professional athletes taking steroids. But, despite their widespread use in sports, steroids can have more negative than positive effects on athletes of all types. Steroids are chemical substances that can be made naturally by the body or produced synthetically. There are many different types of steroids that are used for different things other than just athletes enhancing muscles. For example, there are types of steroids that can be used by women as birth control pills, and other types that are used for menopause treatment. The abuse of steroids is almost always found to be in the case of athletes, and that is the focus of this paper. ?All anabolic steroids are synthetic compounds whose molecular structure is similar to that of the natural male sex hormone testosterone. Testosterone affects development of the male body in two important ways: it has an anabolic effect - increases growth, especially of muscular and skeletal tissue - And an androgenic effect - increased development of male sexual characteristics. Anabolic steroids are constructed stythetically in such a way that they maximize the anabolic effect of testosterone while minimizing the androgenic effect.? The way that steroids work can easily be interpreted by a foo...
To begin with, there are two main types of steroids: adrenal steroids and sex steroids. Because of the great therapeutic value of adrenal steroids, many synthetic steroids have been made; some more potent than the natural hormones. Synthetic steroids are anti-inflammatory drugs, oral contraceptives. A synthetic adrenal steroid is used to treat adrenal insufficiency. Anabolic steroids are also synthetic and they mimic the male hormone testosterone. Anabolic steroids are most often abused by athletes and can have serious side effects when taken improperly (Silverstein, p.14). The term "anabolic " means "to build tissue"; therefore, anabolic steroids tend to increase constructive me...
In many males that take steroids have had an assumption that their penis has shrunk in size, but in actuality it isn’t the penis that shrinks, its the testicles, this is due to a dramatic decrease in sperm count which can obviously lead to a man being infertile. With all the many cons related to the drug, there are certain ways that can help people get stronger. There are supplements that you can purchase online at fitness websites that are a form of anabolic steroids, the only way they are legal is the amount of dosage that is in each pill. Also, many doctors and pediatricians use steroids for babies that may be undersized at birth to get them back to where they need to be with size, weight, etc. They frown upon the use of this drug cause they say it gives people an edge in sports but if they were in those people 's shoes they would understand that for how much coaches expect them to be all star athletes and put in the time day in and day out that taking those steroids makes it easier. It 's not the same as it was back in the 80s back in the day they took extreme amounts that made them look like greek
Anabolic/androgenic steroids are synthetic variants of the natural hormone testosterone (James 7). At its naturally produced levels, testosterone is very good. In males, it helps promote protein anabolism (building), stimulates production of sperm, and has metabolic effects on muscle, bone, and skin (Goldman 72). Anabolic steroids are used medically to treat types of anemia, some breast cancers, osteoporosis, endometriosis, and hereditary angioedema (NIDA 2). But anabolic steroids are often taken at 10 to 100 times the natural, physiological levels by athletes looking for an edge in training (Yesalis xxv).
There are many types of steroids abused by athletes in order to increase their muscle mass and strength. Though steroids have a negative reputation, there are some that can be beneficial to athletes and certain patients. There are types of steroids called corticosteroids that have more medical uses to them and another type called anabolic-androgenic steroids that have a more limited medical use. The anabolic-androgenic are usually the steroids that are being abused by athletes (Bigelow, par.10). The use of steroids goes back to the end of World War II around the 1940’s. Doctors were giving the freed prisoners from the Nazi concentration camps that were at risk of death anabolic-androgenic steroids to help gain back their muscle mass and weight faster. From this knowledge, steroids began to be used by body builders and athletes to get more fit than they already were. It is believed that the abuse of the steroids started in the late 1940’s by weight lifters and bodybuilders, and by the 1950’s, it was spread to the Olympics (Bigelow, par.11). Any type of steroid should not be used if they are only going to be abused by being used in large doses with the intentions of increasing lean muscle mass and strength (Bigelow, par.11). After years of abuse of anabolic-androgenic steroids in the Olympics they were added to the list of banned substances and random testing of athletes were announced to start taking place (Bigelow, par.35).
"Anabolic steroids is the familiar name for synthetic substances related to the male sex hormones (e.g., testosterone). They promote the growth of skeletal muscle (anabolic effects) and the development of male sexual characteristics (androgenic effects) in both males and females”(National Institute on Drug Base).First, the benefits of steroids are very obvious to see. The user gains strength, mass, and speed in a short amount of time. Also, the user has a more aggressive attitude, which is good for football players. However, there are more bad side effects than good. The side effects include hair loss, acne, liver damage, kidney damage, increased breast tissue and becoming very aggressive. These are just some of the horrible bad side effects by using steroids.
You’ve all seen them, the enormously large muscle-heads at the gym, the participates of the World’s Strongest Man Competition, the amazing offensive tackles, and the lightning fast runners. They were all unnaturally strong, and looked like gods. You tend to obsess over how beautiful their bodies are, how strong they are, or how fast they can run. All you can think about is reaching that level of athletic excellence, and nothing will hold you back. At times like these some people tend to take the quick fit to get closer to their idols, in the form of steroids. But what individuals tend not see is the horrible side effects that accompany the use of these anabolic steroids. These powerful drugs have both positive and negative results from their use. Along with increased strength and size, users of steroids suffer from a wide range of sicknesses such as cancer, shrinkage of testicles, bad acne, hair loss, damage organs, intense mood swings, and impotence.
Over one million American desire short cuts to bigger muscles and greater endurance with anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. Anabolic steroids are derivatives of the male hormone testosterone. A few of the negative effects of the drug are impairment to the kidneys as well ...
Many athletes take steroids in higher doses than medically recommended, which causes, as I mentioned before, serious physical side effects such as: prominent breasts, baldness, shrunken testicles, impotence for men and infrequent or absent period, baldness, deeper voice, enlarged clitoris for women, and both might experience high blood pressure, heart problems, acne and liver tumors. Also, teenagers face risks, as cited in an article by Marty Kaminsky, Dr. Gary Wadler, professor of Medicine, New York University, says: “For a teenager, steroid use hastens the closing of the long bones. The body thinks you have finished adolescence, so you may not reach your genetically predetermined height.” (Boy’s Life, June 2005).
While the effects of steroids can seem desirable at first, there are serious side effects. Excessive use can cause a harmful imbalance in the body's normal hormonal balance and body chemistry. Heart attacks, water retention leading to high blood pressure and stroke, and liver and kidney tumors all are possible. Young people may develop and a halting of bone growth. Males may experience shrinking testicles, falling sperm counts, and enlarged prostates. Women frequently show signs of masculinity and may be at higher risk for certain types of and the possibility of birth defects in their children. The psychological effects of steroid use are also alarming: drastic mood swings, inability to sleep, and feelings of hostility. Steroids may also be psychologically addictive. Once started, users, particularly athletes, enjoy the physical "benefits" of increased size, strength, and endurance so much that they are reluctant to stop even when told about the risks. Major athletic competitions, including the Olympics, routinely screen athletes to prevent steroid use.
“Steroids are any type of a large group of fat-soluble organic compounds, as the sterols, bile acids, and sex hormones most of which have specific physiological action” (Dictionary.com). When our bodies are still developing, the effects of steroids can be dangerous and can also be permanent (“Above”). Steroids are made out of substances such as nandrolone, stanozolol, testosterone, fluoxymestrone, and oxandrolone. Sometimes people say when you can’t pronounce something, you probably shouldn’t use it. In the 1940’s testosterone began to be widely used in competitive sports, but the dangers of loading up on testosterone were not yet clear (“History”). Instead of using steroids for a bad reason, there is a medicinal purpose. Cortisteroids can treat arthritis, asthma, lupus and multiple sclerosis, eczema and rashes, and some types of cancer (“Steroids: Medline”). Also, steroids can be used to treat anemia, to improve weight loss due to severe illness, and to treat osteoporosis. Steroids can only be sold to you by a pharmacist f...
Steroids can seem harmless to the uninformed user but they actually have harmful side effects. According to the article “News examines relationship between steroids and heart-related deaths,” published by New York Daily News, “The study (presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions in Chicago on Nov. 12, 2006) shows that deaths jumped from 476 from in 1980-1992 to 987 from in 1993-2005. Overall, 1,463 young athletes died between 1980 and 2005”(NY Daily News). This is a terrifying statistic and will only continue to rise.
With all the lights and cameras, of course, athletes want more attention than the others and for them steroids is the answer. Steroids not only affect your body physically, but your brain emotionally and that’s why there is a higher risk than thought when it comes to the decision to use steroids or not. For your body, you are essentially quickening its deterioration and actually weakening it while you are trying to strengthen it. It’s a domino effect of future health problems. From
Forty-eight percent of high school students use steroids to improve athletic performance. Steroids can increase performances for athletes but steroids also affect the mind and character of the person. Some effects of steroids are impaired learning and hearing, violent behavior, and overly aggressive behavior. When women take steroids they start to show signs of masculinity such as deepening of the voice, increase in body and facial hair also the skin starts to roughen. Anabolic steroids give the one who takes them an unfair advantage in athletic competition. The advantage that they receive is not the same as natural born characteristics of ability.