Steroids In Sports

The use of anabolic steroids among athletes has become a controversial topic in the United States. Taking anabolic steroids is illegal, and furthermore these drugs may have harmful and sometimes deadly effects. The results of taking anabolic steroids, gaining weight and building muscle rapidly, are very appealing to many athletes. Over the past decade, the use of these “roids” among teens has increased by an amazing 23% (Cochran n.p.). Adolescent boys may feel they need a muscular physique before summer to look good or they may also insist on taking them for a little extra help to make the baseball team. Today, teens can simply inject the steroids into their systems with a needle or the drugs can easily be swallowed in a pill form. Also, many teen’s role models, such as major league baseball players, put on muscle and increase strength by using such anabolic steroids that many teens can easily obtain. For instance, Mark McGwire, a major league baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals, is quoted in advertisements for a California company as saying he, “gained twelve pounds of muscle and doubled my strength in one month”, by using nutritional supplements. According to the company, McGwire was told to take thirty tablets of Anabol-350, twelve grams of GH Releaser, and eight to twelve Vanadyl tablets a day (Farrey n.p.). By ingesting these drugs, this means that McGwire was taking between 50 and 54 pills of steroids daily. This can be extremely harmful to one’s body.

Without conideration of the future consequences, athletes use these steroids for the quickest path to success. What most people don’t realize is that the effects on young teenage boys are far worse than the effctes on grown men. Studies have shown that the use of these steroids have begun at the tender age of ten years old. As one angry high school football coach recently said, “We can’t keep fooling ourselves. It’s here and we have to do something to stop it” (Cochran n.p.). So it is obvious to assume that the temptation for players to take steroids and achive the competaive edge they desire, is as natural as green grass and flowing rivers.

In my opinion, the psychological effects and more importantly the physical side effects of using anabolic steroids are the main reasons why individuals should stay away from these drugs. For example, statistics reveal that 71% of “roid” users suffer from liver disease later on in their adult lives, an amazing 56% will suffer

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