One of the great controversies in sports within the last few years has been over the issue of illegal substances. These substances ranging from marijuana to steroids are readily available for many professional athletes due to their fame. Illegal substances have become one of the most commonly used supplements for modern athletes. A large percentage of athletes involved in fierce competition whom need an extra advantage use illegal substances to get that extra push. Many athletic organizations such as the NFL, NBA, MLB and NCAA all have testing methods to test their respective players for substance abuse. Due to these restrictions within the games, steroids and other substances have been removed. Illegal substances are harmful to both the athlete and to the sport itself; teams should implement nutritional education, substance abuse prevention programs, as well as more radical methods of drug testing in order to help keep the athletes healthy.
             The effects of steroids on the athlete can have devastating effects on them. Due to the availability of steroids over-the-counter (OTC), athletes are experimenting with substances that they can purchase at nutritional centers. "The long-term effects steroids have on athletes can cause many respiratory diseases, such as irregular heartbeat and high blood pressure. Headaches are also a symptom of high blood pressure, which is a side effect associated with steroid supplementation" The substances do not only cause respiratory ailments, the muscular deformation and the lack of proper building can create muscular degeneration and can lead to even more serious problems such as nervous damage and blood clotting.
             Due to the lack of government restrictions upon the supplements, the availability of steroids over the counter is at an all time high and increasing daily. Steroids are not just limited to pills; they are also taken through topical gel form and through syringes. Many of the activ
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