Steroids

"...medical researchers believe that between 1 and 3 million youths and adults have taken anabolic steroids in one form or another specifically to enhance their looks or athletic performances," stated Nuwer (Nuwer, 61). As astounding as these figures are, the number of performance drug users is steadily increasing. With this progressively increasing numbers, it is projected that millions more will use steroids in the immediate future (Newer, 61). Athletes have always sought an advantage in competition even if ignoring the law and their health if necessary. Using drugs of any sort to facilitate an athlete's athletic ability should be illegal. The use of performance enhancing drugs is not only detrimental to the user but it also creates an uneven playing field for other athletes.

It has always been one of mankind's greatest instincts to compete and win. Throughout the course of recorded history, athletes have used different types of stimulants to augment their athletic prowess. The ancient Greeks ate sesame seeds, and the Andean Indians and the Australian aborigines chewed coca leaves and the pituri plant for stimulating and refreshing effects (History of Steroids, 1). While ancient athletes believed these harmless placebos enhanced their performances, it was only by their own determination and drive that they were successful. The first actual "steroid" was created in 1935 when the Germans were able to successfully synthesize the male hormone Testosterone (History of Steroids, 1). Testosterone was given to their soldiers in WWII to increase their strength and aggression (Anabolic Steroids, 1). It was over the next 50 years that the use of steroids spun dramatically out of control. In the 1970's the demand for anabolic steroids grew as the benefits of taking these drugs became more apparent (History of Steroids, 1). It was at this time that the myth of their necessity was born. The use of these drugs has "punted performance standards clear out of sight, so far out of sight that no human can attain them without chemical assistance." (Francis, 1). This myth was hushed in 1975 when the International Olympic Committee banned steroids from the Olympics and in 1988 when the Anti-Drug abuse act was passed, making them illegal for non-medical purposes (Anabolic Steroids History, 1). Steroids were officially banned in the United States when congress passed the Anabolic Steroid Act of 1990 (Anabolic Steroids History, 1). Today's reasons for taking steroids are not so different from the ancient Greeks.

Famed writer Grantland Rice once wrote, "When the great scorer comes to mark against your name. He'll mark not won or lost but how you played the game" (World of quotes, 1). That buoyant attitude of selflessness and heart has slowly diminished throughout the course of time. Now, George Allen's booming voice, former coach of the Washington Redskins, runs throughout head of America, "Only winners are truly alive. Winning is living. Every time you win, you're reborn. When you lose, you die a little" (Harris, 67). It is with this frame of mind that athletes are pushed beyond the edge of reason. Although peer pressure and pressure from coaches are central reasons why one may use steroids, most users begin using in order to improve their self image or excel in sports. Ethics, integrity, and legality aside, some athletes will stop at nothing to attain "that extra edge".

Type the word "steroid" in a search engine. Within seconds, a colossal list of websites pertaining to the topic appears and three bold words stand out at the top of the page. They read: Steroids for Sale. With a few clicks and a credit card number later, an athlete can be using steroids in a matter of days. Illegal steroids can not only be effortlessly purchased online but, they can also be attained through the black market or by simply crossing the border into Mexico (Side-Effects, 3). Farrey described that, "In the past decade, pharmacies have popped up all over the city (of Tijuana, Mexico) of 1 million people -- 950 of these stores in all, twice as many as in more populous San Diego." With these pharmacies being so concentrated, young Americans can casually stroll from store-to-store, shop for the best prices, and buy various performance-enhancing drugs illegally. Steroid use among young adults is at an all time high. In 1999, the National Institute of Drug Abuse survey was administered among students and the results were astounding (Farrey, 3). Nearly 479,000 students admitted using steroids and about 45 percent of all students surveyed said that steroids could be obtained without difficulty if they wanted them (Farrey, 3). With drugs such as anabolic steroids so easily accessible, it to no surprise why the public is still toying with such a hazardous drug.

Anabolic-androgenic, more commonly known as Anabolic steroids, are by far the most powerful and dangerous steroid. The steroid gets its name from the anabolic, meaning that it effects the skeletal muscles and androgenic, meaning that the steroid deals with male sexual characteristics (Rimrock, 2). Anabolic steroids were first developed in the 1930's to treat males suffering from lack of testosterone which could lead to delayed puberty and prevent muscle atrophy. They can be taken orally, through injection, or rubbed on with a cream or gel (Steroid Use, 1). There are several different methods of taking anabolic steroids that are considered to be safer than just taking steroids "straight up".

Athletes who use steroids usually go through a process called "cycling" in which they use the drug for a period of time, discontinue it use, and then start up again. They may repeat the process several times throughout the year. Another common way to take steroids is by taking them in combinations called "stacking" (Steroid Use, 1). Through this method, steroid abusers may combine assorted steroids to increase their effect on the human muscle. The theory being that the different steroids combined will make a more potent drug that will further increase muscle size. Another widely used practice is called "pyramiding" (Steroid Use, 1). In this technique, steroid users begin their cycle by using low doses of the steroid and progressively increasing the amount taken. When the user reaches the peak of the pyramiding cycle, the user will gradually decrease the amount taken back to zero (Steroid Use, 1). The theory being that by introducing the steroid to the body gradually, it will be less harmful. Pyramiding and stacking are conjectures made by users in an effort to make steroid use safer and more effective. Because these theories have not been tested by scientists, pyramiding and stacking may be more detrimental than helpful to the human body.