Anabolic Steroids or simply put, “Steroids”, is a medicine which has become increasingly popular in the last few decades, specifically in the world of professional sports and body building. In a literal term, the word anabolic means building of the body muscle and by using anabolic steroids, the potential user becomes stronger, sharper, larger and tougher than he would normally be. The consequences of these steroids could be much bigger to a human body and the usage of such illegal products could put an individual’s body at great risk (Haupt & Rovere, 1983).
Artificial testosterone was first synthesized in 1935 and was intended as a hormone replacement for patients who were not able to produce enough testosterone. The first documented incidence of steroid abuse in sports was at the 1954 World Weightlifting Championships. The Soviets easily dominated all of their weight classes, so Dr. John Ziegler of the US team questioned the Soviet doctor about steroids. The Soviet doctor was not afraid to admit that his athletes were injected with testosterone, and because there were no regulations in place to address the issue, they went unpenalized for their actions. Thus, Dr. Ziegler set out to create an oral testosterone derivative, superior to the Soviet injectable version, and his effort led to the creation of Dianabol in 1958, the most commonly abused anabolic of all time. (“Steroid Abuse in Sports”, “Steroid Timeline”).
Steroids are used all over the world to enhance performance in sporting activities, as well as increase concentration for exams and other tasks which require usage of the mental faculties. Other steroids are taken to enhance body form and shape, or accentuate one’s personal traits. The form of steroids taken by athletes are called “anabolic-androgen steroids”, or perhaps simply anabolic steroids that help the athletes tone their body by increasing the mass of their muscles, and increasing their strength and endurance levels (Beamish 33). The male hormone; testosterone, is used to create these steroids and it is used by females as well. The usage of steroids is highly contested and publicized as a variety of arguments on both sides of the table have been presented regarding these drugs. In the recent past scientists, media personalities, politicians, athletes and educators have been found ‘guilty’ of using steroids which has sparked a frenzy all across the globe. Illustrious examples of athletes caught using steroids include Melky Cabrera and Bartolo Colon, as well as the famed cyclist Lance Armstrong (Beamish 33). Armstrong had to remove the seven Tour de France titles bestowed upon him and is barred from sports for life (Beamish 34). Although the usage of steroids is opposed because they are considered dangerous for health and give an unfair advantage to users, however they should not be banned because that would impinge upon our natural right, there is inconclusive research to support their harm and their usage could be restricted to sports.
Sherman, William. “Growing Nightmare of Steroid Abuse: Athletes’ Cocktail Big in Nation’sGyms.” Daily News (New York). 28 July 2002, Sports Final ed.: p. 4. Lexis Nexis 4 Nov. 2002. <http://0-www.Lexis-nexis.com.opac.library.csupomona.edu/universe>.
Steroid use in athletics has been a commonplace since the mid 1950’s. It is no secret as to why many athletes choose to use anabolic steroids. Steroids increase testosterone levels and help digest dietary proteins to increase muscle mass. Athletes face many health risks by taking steroids to increase their strength and maximize their performance. It is illegal to use performance enhancing drugs of any kind in sports but fierce competition to become the best forces some athletes to turn to steroid use in order to stay on top.
...knowledge will allow me to assists athletes that I will work with in the future in such occupations as coaching, strength and conditioning specialists, physical therapists, etc. Having insight on such an area of study is very helpful in guiding athletes in all ages, shapes, and sizes. My opinions on steroids are overall very neutral as I believe they provide positive and negative effects among the athletes that use them. The knowledge I have found in this study will hopefully allow me to better assists athletes in the future. While not all athletes adhere to the use of steroids, the truth is, in this age, performance enhancing substances are being used increasingly in sports overall. Being able to understand how these athletes react to such substances will allow for instructors, coaches, doctors, etc. to better assists these competitors in athletics and in life.
Taylor Hooton was a popular, ebullient adolescent; he was a large contributor to his baseball team at Plano West Senior High School. College-bound, Hooton was looked up to as a pitcher, and was to be placed in the starting rotation for his senior year, the spring of 2004 (Longman 1). Unfortunately for Taylor, he never had the chance to experience it. On July 15th, 2003, he committed the unfathomable: suicide by hanging, just a month after his seventeenth birthday. In the fall of 2002, Hooton mentioned to Billy Ajello, his best friend in high school, that he might begin to use steroids. When asked why, Taylor responded with, “I’m not doing it for baseball. I’m doing it for myself,” (Longman 2). Hooton had formerly suffered form low self-esteem, which led him to his initial use of steroids. As every high school athlete is told, Hooton needed to “get bigger”. Evidently, he did, turning to the wrong method in the process. Hooton’s downfall did not start until he abruptly stopped injecting the steroids, when he spiraled into a deep, lethargic depression. His melancholy condition is what led Taylor to hang himself from his doorframe, ending his baseball career along with his life (Longman 2).
"Anabolic Steroid Abuse." National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). USA.gov, Aug. 2006. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.
For many years steroids have been known as a substance to help bodies get bigger. Steroids were brought to America in the late 1950’s when Russia was dominating in weight lifting competitions, and one night the Russian coach got drunk and told the American coach how to make it. The American coach came back and found a way to make it more powerful. In 1988 at the Summer Olympics is when steroids became recognized by the sports world when Ben Johnson, an Olympic runner was tested a few days after winning the gold he tested positive for steroids (Monroe). Steroids were invented to help the muscles in the body grow at a faster rate. Many people back then did not think about the side effects of steroids people would take them without giving it a second thought. It was not till later when people started figuring out that steroids were hurting your body in the long run. Now everyone knows the conse...
“Steroids: Just the Facts.” Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2014
Certain steroids are useful and sometimes help patients with problems such as asthma. Those sorts of steroids are considered to be an anti-inflammatory type medication. Therefore in order to focus the subject, illegal steroids or steroids to enhance athletic performance will be referred as anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids are synthetic substances associated to the male sex hormones. They stimulate the growth of skeletal muscle and the advancement of male type characteristics in both males and in females. “During the 1930s, scientists discovered that anabolic steroids could facilitate the growth of skeletal muscle in laboratory animals”(NIDA 1). This discovery later led to steroid abuse by body-builders, weightlifters...
Athletes are often pressured from an early age to be better than the rest. In sports such as football, baseball, basketball, and soccer, the need to be “great” is becoming a dominant factor in the world of sports. Regardless of which sport is chosen, the stigma to be great is slowly surpassing the main goal of sportsmanship among team players. With the notion that being great is the key; many athletes, both amateur and professional, are relying on steroids to help bring them to the top of their game. Steroid use can cause damaging effects to the body and preventing this may save the lives and careers of current and future students. This essay is written to explain the problems of steroids in sports and the solutions in which to help deter or stop this problem.
When was the last time you saw a sporting event and thought what you just saw was incredible? That whoever just did that was superhuman? Now put this through your mind. That athlete could improve his or her already superb skills into something even greater. This can be possible with the help of steroids. There is a current debate of allowing steroids to be legal in sports. Steroids should not be allowed in sports. Some people ask why. This research paper will give those people just a few of the many reasons why it should not be allowed. Through examining dangers of steroid abuse, ethics in sports, and characteristics of individuals who take and use steroids, it is evident that steroids should not be allowed in sports.
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.