Steroid Abuse

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What are anabolic steroids? “Anabolic steroids” is the street name for synthetic substances related to the male sex hormones or also referred to as testosterone. They promote the growth of skeletal muscle and the development of male sexual characteristics in both males and females. Anabolic steroids are commonly abused by professional athletes and Olympic athletes to enhance their performances. There are many reasons people abuse steroids and a few different ways to do so. Also, even though an athlete may win a World Series or an Olympic gold medal, there are very serious effects one can suffer from steroid abuse.

Anabolic steroids were originally developed in the late 1930s to treat a condition called hypogonadism. During the 1930s, scientists discovered that anabolic steroids could facilitate the growth of skeletal muscle in laboratory animals, which led to abuse of the substances by bodybuilders and then by athletes. Professional athletes and Olympic athletes abuse steroids merely to increase athletic performance. “Baseball players Gary Sheffield and Jason Giambi admitted during grand jury testimony to using the clear, according to reports in the San Francisco Chronicle.” (Shipley) Others may abuse them due to a mental condition called muscle dysmorphia to increase muscle mass and decrease body fat. “Muscle dysmorphia is the opposite of anorexia. Unlike anorexia, which makes one believe that they're overweight, dysmorphia bequeaths the illusion that one does not have big enough muscles.” (Lee)

There are many ways to administer anabolic steroids. Some can be taken orally, others are injected into the muscle, and some can be applied topically to the skin. No specific way is safer than the other. When taking anabolic steroid...

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Psychological effects, hormonal changes, and internal damage are just a few of the effects anabolic steroid abuse has on individuals. However, it is hard to justify just how bad anabolic steroid abuse is because most cases go unreported. Either way, there is a direct scientific link between the abuse of anabolic steroids and the severe effects it has on the abusers.

Works Cited

Kuipers, Harm. "ANABOLIC STEROIDS: Side Effects." Sportscience. Ed. T. D. Fahey. Encyclopedia of Sports Medicine and Science, 7 Mar. 1998. Web. 8 Oct. 2011.

Lee, Ian. "Dysmorphia: Male Anorexia." AskMen. AskMen Contributor. Web. 8 Oct. 2011.

Shipley, Amy. "Marion Jones Admits to Steroid Use." The Washington Post. The Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2007. Web. 8 Oct. 2011.

Weaver, Jane. "Steroid Addiction a Risk for Young Athletes." Msnbc.com. Msnbc.com, 4 May 2005. Web. 8 Oct. 2011.

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