steroids: friend or foe
...levated cholesterol levels, strokes, aggressive behavior, and the dysfunction of genitalia. Doctors suspect that steroid use is a major factor in the recent increase in baseball injuries, especially severe injuries such as complete muscle tears (Verducci). In a case with a Major League Baseball player, he took steroids so heavily that by the end of the season, his testicles decreased in size and retracted. Doctors found out that his body had stopped making its own testosterone and that his hormone level dropped to 20% of regular. In men, steroids can cause many serious things, such as reduced sperm count, infertility, baldness, development of breasts, and an increased risk for prostate cancer. Steroids can also have many positive effects. Steroids can make an athlete more athletiacally sophisticated in his/her sport and it can improve his/her performance. In baseball steroids can make hitters hit farther and harder and it can make pitchers add more speed on their pitches. Also steroids in any sport can make an average player a star and a star a superstar. Steroids can help injured athletes make it through the rest of a season (Verducci). The last positive effect of steroids is that it can be prescribed by a doctor to help patients who lack the genuine hormone testosterone, anemia, growing difficulties, and given cancers (Mueller). Steroids are used by many athletes in many different sports. Even though steroids are illegal in the U.S., there are many different ways to receive it. Steroids are available in Latin America as an over the counter drug (Verducci). In the U.S. simple possession of steroids is a federal offense and can lead up to one year in prison and a minimum fine of $1,000. Selling or having the intent to sell steroids is a federal felony and can be punished with up to five years in prison with at least two additional years of supervised release and a $2...