Athletes and Drugs
What kind of role model is Mark McGwire? Many people are familiar with his seventy homeruns in one season, but do they know that he has been using androstenedione, a type of steroid that boosts testosterone levels? While it is perfectly legal in the United States and in the major leagues, it sends the wrong health message to athletes of every age. If young adults take androstenedione, or any other steroid, they may regret it for the rest of their lives. Artificially high levels of testosterone have been shown to permanently damage the heart, trigger liver failure, and stunt a teenager's growth (Gorman 21-22). All are too great of a price for any sport. What it all comes down to is that we need to educate both ourselves and all intercollegiate athletes about the risks involved with steroid use. Anabolic-androgenic steroids are chemical derivatives of the male sex hormones. Anabolic refers to the constructive or building-up process of the body's metabolism. Androgen refers to male-life or masculinizing characteristics. There are also two other types of steroids: estrogenic or corticosteroids. Estrogenic steroids produce female or feminizing characteristics, and corticosteroids originate
The same study was repeated in 1991, in which 2282 athletes were questioned. Promote the importance of participation, fun, and fair play in sports instead of "win-at-all-costs" values. In 1985, Anderson and McKeag did the first study of college athletes correlated with steroid use. In the second phase, which may begin in the first week and last for months, the person shows depressive symptoms and has cravings (Yesalis 205-6). Body hair patterns are steroid hormone dependent. The use of anabolic-androgenic steroids can lead to some cosmetic side effects. Stacking, or the use of more than one type of steroid, helps to maximize strength gains, minimize side effects, and avoid detection. Liver function can be damaged, resulting in jaundice, blood-filled cysts, and benign and malignant tumors. , that places high values on physical attractiveness and on winning competitions. Anabolic-androgens can be taken either by mouth, by injection, or, more recently, by skin creams or patches (Cowart 25). Five percent of both Division I and II athletes admitted to using steroids, as well as 4% of D-III athletes (Yesalis 60). They complete more and longer cycles of use, combine multiple anabolic steroid drugs simultaneously, and use injectable anabolic steroids. An increase in mental awareness, elevation in mood, improvement in memory and concentration, and a reduction of sensations of fatigue can all be partly related to the stimulatory effects on the central nervous system (Yesalis 163). The latter is used to treat tissue stress, reduce inflammation, and to ease pain (Ringhofer 174).
Common topics in this essay:
Division II,
Mark McGwire,
Anderson McKeag,
anabolic-androgenic steroids,
Steroids Athletes,
track field,
lipid cholesterol content,
track field 4%,
central nervous system,
five percent division,
steroid swimming,
anabolic-androgenic steroid,
size strength,
percent division,
field 4% baseball,
five percent,
associated steroid,
androgens increase,
steroid users,
|