Steroids 3 Essay, Research Paper

Most people have the goal and dream to have the perfect body. They believe they will be more popular, or attractive if they achieve the body that they desire. But what lengths will people go to, to get the perfect body. The biggest problem in sports today, as many people know, is steroids. Steroids do wonders for your body, but not only on the positive side, but the negative side as well. We all know they work, clinical studies have concluded what athletes have known for 30 years, anabolic steroids and human growth hormones do work.

Anabolic Steroids are synthetically created chemical compounds whose structure resembles the naturally occurring hormone called testosterone. Anabolic steroids could have either anabolic or androgenic effects. Anabolic effects promote nitrogen retention, which can lead to protein synthesis in skeletal muscles and other tissues, resulting in increased muscle mass and weight, general growth and bone maturation. Athletes who choose to take anabolic steroids are looking to maximize the anabolic effects while minimizing the androgenic side effects. The real problem is that there is not any type of steroids in existence that only have anabolic effects.

Anabolic steroids give an ethical dilemma to the sports world. It is estimated that over “one million young male and female athletes are taking or have taken steroids, most of which have been acquired through the black market.” Approximately 6.5% of male athletes and 1.9% of female athletes are currently taking anabolic steroids. Today more than ever, steroids are being abused. It is estimated that 99% of all professional bodybuilders are using steroids. Many young bodybuilders such as teenagers know that steroids will help them build muscle but they don’t know about the side effects and the long-term effects. As a teenager I realize how teenagers have a hard time looking ahead to the near future, and even later in their lives. But society continues to tell the youths of today that society wants muscular physiques. If you pick up any teen or muscle magazine, every body inside will have a perfect sculpted body. There are people that have a hard time working out or have no motivation, and they see someone using steroids that hardly lifts weights and are getting massive gains in strength, obviously the nonuser is going to be curious of using steroids.

One of the main reasons steroids are being abused is because people don’t understand exactly how they work. Many people curious in steroids think they can take the drug, get a massive body, stop taking the drug, and will still remain huge with little work, but this is not the case at all. Steroids plain and simply bulk up the muscle like balloon, you have strength and size, when the user stops taking steroids, the balloon deflates, the once huge muscle turns to fat very quickly and the size and strength is no longer there. Therefore, steroid users must continue to take the drug for as long as they plan on being in their physical condition. But, in some cases if the athlete is to work hard enough, with intense training, it is possible for the athlete to stop taking steroids, but there aren’t too many people that can do this. Plus, when off the drug, it causes the person to lose self -confidence and become dependant on the drug because they are so used to it’s affects. When a steroid cycle is taken, it should be short on and off sessions, for example, six weeks on steroids, than a six-week period without steroids. But because people want to gain muscle quickly, this tip is usually disregarded and the user will use the steroid for a substantial about of time, thus resulting in short and long term side effects.

Androgenic effects include growth development and matienence of reproductive tissues. If these steroids are used in large quantities on a cyclic basis, anabolic steroids can force weight gain, reduce the amount of recovery time in between workouts, and over increase strength in muscle groups. All of these qualities will give a basketball player that extra “edge” they need.

The last mistakes people make when using steroids is the type of steroids they use. It is simple, the more effective the steroid, the more side effects that go with it. If a person curious in steroids wants a body builder physique, will be looking for something very effective, but also has to think about the side effects. Strong steroids and very toxic to the liver, kidneys, and heart, and should not be taken for a very long time. The mistake people make is that they look at how powerful the steroid is and don’t look at the side effects. Another problem with steroids is counterfeits. Bogus steroids are being used by thousands of unsuspecting athletes. Many of these drugs have the side effects of real steroids but not the positive effect. Using a fake steroid is like putting poison into your body. The best thing to do if you use steroids is to get the steroids from someone you know, or someone you can trust.

The most commonly used anabolic steroids include Anavar, Dianabol, Anadrol and Finajet. Another type of enhancing drug that poses a problem to sports is the human growth hormone. (HGH) Human growth hormone is produced by the somatotropic cells of the anterior region of the pituitary gland that releases into the circulatory system. In the past the supply of human growth hormone was limited because it was extracted from cadavers, but now it is readily available, because it can be made synthetically.

Usage of human growth hormone by athletes is currently on the rise, because it is more difficult to detect in urine than anabolic steroids. It is known that an over abundance of human growth hormone in a person body can lead to the premature closing of long bone growth sites or cause acromegaly, a condition that can produce the elongation and enlargement of bones or cause the thickening of bones and soft tissues in the face. A lack of human growth hormone can cause the opposite effects by causing dwarfism. Associated diseases with acromegaly are diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, goiter, menstrual disorders, decreased sexual desires and impotence. At this time there is no proof that human growth hormone causes an increase in HGH combined with weight training can lead to increase muscle strength and stimulation. Usage of anabolic steroids and human growth hormone presents a major problem in the sports world.

So why do athletes take steroids? Almost all-steroid users are taking steroids because they believe it is the only way to develop muscle and strength. Today, there are millions of athletes on steroids. Both females and males use them in all sports with the majority of users in their late teens. Steroids are being used at ages as young as 13 to increase performances in school sports. Athletes will do anything to achieve their goals no matter how high the risk can be. In my own opinion, society today makes people think that to produce muscle and size, steroid use is mandatory. That is not the case, with hard work and determination, anything is possible. If a person is considering steroids they must look at the big picture. Taking steroids is not as simple as people believe; there are many aspects that must be put into consideration before taking the drug. To receive the best results the person should know everything they can about the specific steroid, what they plan on accomplishing, and lastly they should ask them self, Is it really worth it?