The Dangers of Using Anabolic Steroids

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Recommended: Effects of steroids on the human body

Athletes using steroids for a prolonged period of time face damaging and life-threatening side effects. Anabolic steroids are “synthetically produced variants of the naturally occurring male hormone testosterone” (“Anabolic Steroids”). Anabolic means “tissue building” (“Anabolic Steroids”). They have many nicknames like ‘“arnolds, gym candy, pumpers, roids, stackers, weight trainers, and juice”’ (“Anabolic Steroids”). Anabolic steroids are androgenic drugs. This means they “promote masculine characteristics” (“Anabolic Steroids”). Anabolic steroids can be administered two ways, orally or by intramuscular injection. Most abusers use a “combination of oral doses and injections for six to twelve week cycles” (Anderson). They usually take steroids for a “limited period of time to reach a particular goal” (“Anabolic Steroids”). “Stacking” (Anderson) is known as using multiple steroid preparations and increasing dosage over time. Some abusers may take as much as one-hundred times normal therapeutic doses of anabolic steroids (“Anabolic Steroids”). It is said that oral preparations are easier to flush out of your system than injections. This is a real concern. Athletes may be taking steroids, but clearing them from their system before drug testing.

It is a proven fact that anabolic steroids produce a gain in strength and muscle size “beyond that which could be achieved with rigorous training and diet alone” (Anderson). They have been said to be the “perfect performance enhancing drug” (Minnie), but this is nowhere near true. Although, it is acknowledged that steroids do improve muscle mass, they are highly dangerous. They are known as “a potential shortcut” (Minnie) and cheating. Most anabolic steroids are imported from third ...

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“Anabolic Steroids and Sports: Winning at Any Cost.” Department of Health. New York State,

2010. Web. 1 April 2014. http://www.health.ny.gov/publications/1210/.

Anderson, Steven J., Bolduc, Stephen P. “Adolescents and Anabolic Steroids: A Subject

Review.” Pediatrics 99.6 (2014): 904. Web.

Devlin, Hannah. “Steroid Use Benefits Athletes for Decades.” Times 28 October 2013: 1. Print.

Minnie, Ken, Coach. “Designer Steroids: Ugly, Dangerous Things.” MasterFile Premier April

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Schuler, Lou. “The Juice is Loose.” Men’s Fitness 21.2 (2005): 70-75. Web.

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