The Abuse of Anabolic Steroids by Athletes - Research Paper Example

The use and abuse of anabolic steroids by athletes, the problem seems to begin as early as high school and continues later on to the professionals Anabolic steroids are also known as anabolic-androgenic steroids are performance enhancing drugs. A performance enhancing drugs is used for improving performance of athletes. They are man-made growth hormones, whose chemical formula is closely related to male hormone testosterone. They include human growth hormone, diuretics, erythropoietin and stimulant. The name itself defines their two major characteristics i.e. anabolic means to build up or synthesize; whereas androgenic means involving male features. These artificial hormones are related to testosterone and affect the body in the same way as testosterone does. Testosterone is the only hormone targeting the male sexual characteristics as it stimulates the reproductive organ and development of muscle and bones. It also promotes the growth of skin and hair and influence sentiments and sex drive in males. In males, the adrenal gland as well as the testes produces testosterone; whereas in the females it is only secreted by the adrenal gland. There are over hundreds various types of anabolic steroids synthesized in order to maximize its benefits. Since 2013, not a single type of anabolic steroid has been synthesized that do not have any kind of side effect. In most of the developing countries, anabolic steroids can easily be purchased without any prescription. However the American government has tried to impose some control over the buying and selling of these drugs. The use of anabolic steroids in US without any prescription is considered illegal and may also result in one year of imprisonment or $1,000 fine. These steroids are derivatives of testosterone, a hormone found naturally in males. A healthy male produces 2 to 10 mg of testosterone. It helps in hair growth, deepening of voice, growth of reproductive system and increases the density of bones and muscles (Anabolic Steroids). Medical use and abuse of Anabolic steroids in sports Anabolic steroids were originally developed in the year 1930 for treating the cases in which the body is not able to make much testosterone for fulfilling the daily requirement. In the following years physicians tried using this drug for other purposes but did not achieve effective results. Disadvantages associated with the drug over shadow its benefits and therefore its use was restricted to medical purposes only. Anabolic steroids were used by pediatrics for stimulating the rate of growth in children whose growth rate was slow. The availability of the synthetic growth hormone has limited the use of this hormone as growth stimulator in children. It was also used in the treatment of breast cancer, as it decreases the development of some cancerous cells. It is also given to people as a drug for the treatment of chronic wasting syndrome in patients who suffer from cancer or HIV. Doctors nowadays often prescribe this drug to males that show the symptoms of delayed puberty. At present only androgen is being used for this purpose, however before 1980’s synthesized anabolic steroids were used by patients for treating this problem. Anabolic steroids are also given to males whose testes are not able to produce enough testosterone to meet the daily requirement. In 2005, the anabolic steroid control act took place and placed pro-hormones and anabolic steroids on the list of controlled substance and its possession by anyone was pronounced a federal crime. In the same year, the news of Major League Baseball using the anabolic steroid was leaked by Jose Canseco who was a former outfielder, who also claimed that the abuse of anabolic steroids is widespread in professional baseball team. Congress addressed this issue by holding a hearing regarding the steroid abuse in MLB, asking the baseball stars like Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire to testify. MLB’s officials pledged that they will stop the use of anabolic steroids use in baseball players. However the use of steroids still continues and baseball player Barry Bonds was caught using steroids. It was in the same year that American Drug Enforcement in collaboration with the federal agencies caused the destitution of 56 illegal laboratories that synthesized anabolic steroids seizing, 11.4 million worth of steroid dosage units. According to a survey the drug abuse among athletes is 6%.The reason behind drug abuse in athletes is to increase body weight, build body mass, improve performance and effectiveness in sports. Another reason for drug abuse can be to reduce their body fats or increase their muscle size. The use of anabolic steroid is common among people who suffer from muscle dysmorphia. In this disease the patients think they are lean and weak although they are lean and muscular. Some athletes who wish to increase their performances take high doses of steroids by mixing two or more anabolic steroids, which is called stacked. It is reported that high doses can increase aggression and irritability. Some steroids abusers have been involved in robbery, physical fights, property crimes, vandalism or burglary. This shows that high doses of steroid abuses are related with violence and behavioral disorders (Baron). The athletes think that by doing this they will gain more strength and increase the size of their muscles, however they are not aware of the fact that the abuse of anabolic steroids by athletes can cause mild to serious problems like increase in cholesterol, increase in blood pressure, coronary heart diseases, stroke, obstructed blood vessels, impaired liver function, hepatitis, appearance of acne, baldness, stunted growth, increased muscle strains, stretch marks, edema, mood swings, depression, aggression, body hair growth in female, increased sex drive, increased fat deposits, etc. Anabolic steroids do increase the mass of the muscles, which may seem desirable at first but it is usually accompanies by a number of problems. This drug fools the body to think that it is producing testosterone in large quantity. The excessive use of anabolic steroids disturbs the chemistry of the body and its hormonal balance. As these steroids are shared usually injected by needles there is a high risk of HIV and AIDS (History of Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports). The use of anabolic steroids has spread downwards from the college and high school going amateur athletes to professional and elite ones. According to s survey presented by American center of disease control and prevention, in the current year almost 850,000 American high school students used anabolic steroid shots or pills without any prescription. The study further indicated that 3 percent of these student athletes were twelfth graders, while 2 percent of them were eighth graders, who at some point have used illicit steroids. The research stated that these anabolic steroid users usually take extremely high doses, adding up to 100 mg of steroids in their body everyday through combining a number of different brands of steroids. These athletes were seen taking drugs on a schedule referred as “cycling”, where they took steroids for a period of about 12-16, which was then followed by a-steroid period. “Pyramiding” is another approach of using illicit anabolic drug, in with the doses first increases to mid-cycle and the eventually decreases to zero (Steroids In Sports). The use of anabolic and some other performance enhancing drugs have been banned from almost all the sports including tennis, baseball, hockey, basketball and football. WADA (World’s Anti-Doping Agency) maintains the list of almost all the performance enhancing substances being used in sports and it does include all the anabolic steroids. The abuse of anabolic steroid in amateur athletes cannot be ignored. This rate is quite high among the high school going athletes as they considered the professionals and elite athletes their role models and all they desire is to be like them. They do want to achieve the desirable muscular figure like all the famous athletes by any means. They start doing different exercise and to accelerate the muscle building process which leads them to unhesitatingly try drugs like anabolic steroids (A Guide for Understanding Steroids and Related Substances). Most of the data regarding the abuse of anabolic steroids comes from the case history of the patients rather than research. Most of the times the life threatening side effects appear to be low, however the serious adverse effects associated with the drug abuse may be under-reported or under-recognized. However the data collected through animals study do support this fact. Study indicates that exposing mice to 1/5th of the steroids being used by human athletes decrease the life span of the mice and cause their premature death. Almost all the side effects associated with the drug is reversible if the abuser stop taking anabolic steroids besides some causing permanent damage. The diagnosis of the disease associated with the abuse of this drug is difficult, as patients that use anabolic drug without the prescription of the doctor are considered to be an abuser. Many athletes do not understand the side effects associated with this drug or they simply resist from admitting that they are using this drug. A sudden increase in the musculature or the symptoms discussed above indicates the fact that anabolic steroids abuse has occurred. If the side effects or the symptoms of drug abuse persist then the doctor should hospitalize the patient. Work Cited A Guide for Understanding Steroids and Related Substances. 2004. 7 October 2014 . Anabolic Steroids. 2014. 7 October 2014 . Baron, David A. Doping in sports and its spread to at-risk populations: an international review. 2007. 7 October 2014 . History of Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports. 2013. 7 October 2014 . Steroids In Sports. 2013. 7 October 2014 . Read More