Steroids
In the past few decades anabolic steroids has been an issue with body builders and athletes. ... Athletes always want to be on top of their game, be the best of the best, this is where steroids can come into play. Steroids are drugs derived from hormones. Anabolic steroids include one group of these hormonal drugs. Anabolic steroids are more precisely known, anabolic/androgenic steroids belong to group known as ergogenic, or so-called "performance-enhancing," drugs. ... Anabolic steroids are designed to mimic the body building traits of testosterone while minimizing its masculinizing effects. Athletes who have used anabolic steroids as well as some coaches, trainers, and physicians do report significant increases in lean muscle mass, strength, and endurance. ... Anabolic steroids do not improve agility, skill or cardiovascular capacity. Many people who use steroids have a poor self image. ... Steroids carry with them serious medical concerns. ... Anabolic steroids are usually taken in pill form. ... " Although controlled studies on the long term outcome of megadosing with anabolic steroids have not been conducted, extensive research on prescribed doses for medical use has documented the potential side effects of the drug, even when taken in small doses. ... Males who take large doses of anabolic steroids typically experience changes in sexual characteristics. ... For both males and females, continued use of anabolic steroids may lead to health conditions ranging from merely irritating to life threatening. ... Prohibition of steroids naturally produced a black market, and unintended consequences followed. Criminalization of steroids created dangers more serious than any that had prompted the ban. Once steroids became contraband, many athletes bought black market anabolics that, unbeknownst to them, were spiked or cut with other drugs or intended solely for veterinary use. Physicians were forbidden to prescribe steroids for promoting muscle growth and thus were not able to provide steroid users with responsible, professionally informed oversight. New league policies even ban the use of steroids for recovery from injuries (Perry 32).