The Dangers of Steroid Use

The presence of steroids in competitive sports has been predominant since the 80's. It has been in sports that include baseball, football, and weightlifting. Although it is present in numerous sports, weightlifting holds the highest amount of users. The use of steroids is illegal in the United States. However, they are still used within Europe. In Europe, it is illegal to sell steroids but not to use them. This leads many body builders to leave America for European countries where they can use them legally. Although people use them to gain their desired body mass and "maximize" their workouts, the harmful effects on the body are still predominant. These effects range from severe long term effects to minor short term effects. Informing the public about these negative effects can reduce or even eliminate the use of steroids. The best way to do this is to inform kids of what can happen to them if they use these harmful drugs. I believe that a drug awareness program needs to be established in order to inform children and adults, before they are exposed to steroids. Teenagers, especially, need to know of the damaging effects of steroids. High school is the most likely place that they will first be exposed to the drug. A program that would cater to teenagers could have a large effect on steroid use nation-wide.

Steroids can have many harmful effects on the body. These effects can range from heart and liver failure to damaging infections of the muscle. A documentary titled "the Man Whose Arms Exploded" tells the story of Gregg Valentino, a man who injected steroids directly into his arms. The result of this was a severe infection in his left bicep from dirty needles and over use. Due to this infection his arm literally popped. A large portion of his muscle was removed and he was left with an enormous scar on his left bicep (TLC). Many body builders may think that the side effects are worth the "edge". However, risk of infection is very high if used in large doses. In fact, heart failure is guaranteed after long term use. A long term user could develop liver and heart failure at a very early age. It is also possible to lose large amounts of muscle tissue and tendons. Although short term effects can be prevented, none are severe or fatal on a physical scale. Some of these effects include growth of female breast tissue and shrinkage of testicles in men. For women the effects range from shrinkage of breasts to growth of hair in abnormal areas and an appendage that is similar to a penis (Hitt). Aggression issues become common as well. A study done by Jill Grimes proved that use during adolescent stages of life can lead to long term aggression due to the destruction of serotonin. During the adolescent stages of life, Serotonin growth increases drastically. Serotonin is a chemical in the body which controls mood, sleep, vomiting, sexuality, and appetite. During the adolescent stages, the loss of Serotonin has a permanent effect. The reduction of this chemical can have damaging effects on the user's mental health (Hitt). A loss of Serotonin has also been linked to depression, anxiety, migraines, and bipolar disorder. We, as a society, need to educate children before they are exposed to these deadly drugs (Messer).

Many researchers have speculated that the reason that steroids are used is because of a sense of inadequacy. They believe that there is actually a mental disorder called reverse anorexia (TLC). Many athletes have used steroids to gain an advantage over their opponents because they constantly feel that they can never be too strong or too fast. Although many of them would deny it, the drug tests that some have endured would prove otherwise. What is the use taking steroids if they can get you big muscles but also a lifetime of allegations? Why are they used in the first place? It is believed to be the result of this Reverse Anorexia. The basic principle is that a person becomes so obsessed with becoming muscular that they would use any means necessary to be as big as they could. This was discovered after a test in 1993 when 8% of body builders in a survey felt that they were too light. Another test of 41 random participants found that 22% tested positive for steroids. We need some way to solve this problem. I think that the situation needs to be viewed the same as anorexia cases (Hitt, 2001). Psychologists have classified this as a legitimate psychological disorder (TLC). Teenagers need to become aware of the dangers of body building and the possibility of becoming involved with steroids. Although they may think that it will never happen to them, there is always a possibility.

When I was in eight grade the D.A.R.E. program was a good way for middle school students to learn about drugs and their effects. However, the program never mentioned the use of steroids. Recently, things have changed. D.A.R.E. has been replaced with a new program called 4-H. The program more actively teaches about drugs and their harmful effects. One girl in the 4-H program said that after doing an experiment with tobacco she never wanted to smoke again. The experiment involved putting tobacco in water to see the amount of tar that comes out of it. I must ask though. What about steroids? According to the article I read, the 4-Hprogram includes cigarettes, alcohol, and some illegal drugs (Robinson). If tobacco was the main focus then I highly doubt that steroids were included. Steroids are very commonly overlooked. I propose that we extend this program and include steroids as one of the major drugs. It might even be necessary to create a new program. I think that people are actually more likely to do this as opposed to other drugs. This is because they are not talked about very much. This is likely because it is looked at as a drug that only professional athletes would use and not adolescents. Steroids are also a very uncommon drug to come across. Luckily, myself and no one I know have ever been exposed to steroids. However, what if I had? A study done in 2004 by the National Institute on Drug Abuse showed that 1.9% of 8th graders, 2.4% of 10th graders, and 3.4% of 12th graders have tried steroids (Hitt). The study also showed that most children said they would continue to use them through out their life. This may seem like small number but any number is too large. The main problem is a lack of knowledge and understanding. If teens knew of the damaging effects of steroids there is a good chance that they would not use them.

The use of steroids is very harmful to the human body, even in small doses. The public needs to be educated about this drug in order to protect their own health. Children are especially susceptible to the effects of steroids. If they are not aware of these effects they may use them without realizing that there are any side effects. If a program is established to educate children and teenagers alike, I believe that steroids will be a drug of the past.