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Anabolic Steroids

             The drive to compete and to win is as old as humankind is. Throughout history, athletes have sought foods and potions to transform their bodies into powerful, well-tuned machines. Greek wrestlers ate huge quantities of meat to build muscle, and Norse warriors, the Berserkers, ate hallucinogenic mushrooms to gear up for battle (Schwarzenegger, 223). .
             The first competitive athletes believed to be charged taking drugs and other nonfood substances to improve performance were swimmers in Amsterdam in the 1860's. Doping, with anything from strychnine and caffeine to cocaine and heroin, spread to other sports over the next several decades (Schwarzenegger, 227).
             The use of anabolic steroids by athletes is relatively new. Testosterone was first synthesized in the 1930's and was introduced into the sporting arena in the 1940's and 1950's. When the Russian weightlifting team thanks, in part, to synthetic testosterone walked off with a pile of medals at the 1952 Olympics, an American physician determined that U.S. competitors should have the same advantage (Rozin, 3).
             By 1958 a U.S. pharmaceutical firm had developed anabolic steroids. Although the physician soon realized the drug had unwanted side effects, it was too late to halt its spread into the sports world (Rozin, 3). Early users were mainly body builders, weightlifters, football players, and discus, shot put or javelin throwers. These competitors relied heavily on bulk and strength. During the 1970's demand grew as athletes in other sports sought the competitive edge that anabolic steroids seemed to provide. The 1980's gave way to increased use of steroids among both competitive and amateur athletes (Hemma,19). The current use of steroids is believed to be on a decline due to the growing awareness of their dangers and the availability of safer alternatives.
             Anabolic steroids are synthetic derivatives of the male hormone testosterone. These derivatives of testosterone promote the growth of skeletal muscle and lean body mass.


Essays Related to Anabolic Steroids

1. Steroids in the World of Sports

... Men, women, and children may all experience serious side effects once they begin their steroid cycles. There are many physical side effects in men even though anabolic steroids are derived from a male sex hormone. Several of these side effects include reduced sperm count, impotence, breast development, shrinking of the testicles and difficulty while urinating ... deepened voice, breast reduction, and menstrual cycle changes (Anabolic Steroids, Drugs" 3). The use of anabolic steroids also has an adverse effect on all the skin. It may cause acne, cysts, and oily hair and skin ("Anabolic A...

  • Word Count: 1432
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Anabolic Steroids

... at least 15% of college athletic abusers. By the year 1984 20% of college athletes were using steroids (Koziris. 2000). Anabolic steroids or anabolic-androgenic steroids are the synthetic derivatives of the naturally occurring male anabolic hormone testosterone. Both anabolic and androgenic have origins from the Greek: anabolic, meaning, "to build," and androgenic, meaning "masculinizing." Testosterone's natural androgenic effects trigger the maturing of ... effects include development of female nipples and breasts, a higher risk of prostate diseases, and liver damage (Sabock 263). On the...

  • Word Count: 1617
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Anabolic Steroids In Exercising, Athletics, And The Effects On The Human Body

... at least 15% of college athletic abusers. By the year 1984 20% of college athletes were using steroids (Koziris. 2000). Anabolic steroids or anabolic-androgenic steroids are the synthetic derivatives of the naturally occurring male anabolic hormone testosterone. Both anabolic and androgenic have origins from the Greek: anabolic, meaning, "to build," and androgenic, meaning "masculinizing." Testosterone's natural androgenic effects trigger the maturing of ... effects include development of female nipples and breasts, a higher risk of prostate diseases, and liver damage (Sabock 263). On the...

  • Word Count: 1597
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Has Bibliography

4. Legalizing Steroids for Sport and Recreation

... take part in it because they know of the health risks. Yet many people on the other hand use cutting edge technology to use anabolic steroids which have been proven to have legitimate health benefits and minimal side effects when used properly under the supervision of a doctor. Why, if ... finicky. If you can make the choice to harm yourself smoking cigarettes you should be able to make the choice to benefit yourself with anabolic steroids. With all the technology out today sports have turned into science experiments with so many different tests that they give athletes more feedback and ...

  • Word Count: 2044
  • Approx Pages: 8
  • Has Bibliography

5. Steroids and Athletes

... performance (Thorne & Embleton 535). The drug used was Dianabol and subjects reported tremendous gains in strength and size while using the steroid. The two most commonly used methods of taking anabolic steroids are orally (Winstol, Maxibolin, Dianabol, Nilivar, Anavar, Primobolan, Halotestin, Anadrol-50, and Metandren), or by intramuscular injection (Deca-Durabolin, Android, Oreton, Perandren, Delatestri, Equipoise, Winstrol-V, Teslac, and ... than injectables, some athletes experience side effects such as stomach upset, headache, nausea, and lack of concentration. There are two types...

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  • Approx Pages: 9

6. Anabolic Steroids: What it Really Does to Your Body.

... . First, as they are developing in the womb; second, right after they are born; and the last is during puberty. The problem of steroid abuse starts when people use artificial anabolic steroids to increase their testosterone levels. This creates an abnormal amount of testosterone in the body, which has many side effects we are aware of and some that we are still ... , there are going to be side effects. Even if a drug is taken for a medical reason, there could be unwanted side effects with it. Dr. Kuhn states, "The good effects of anabolic steroids cannot be separated from the bad effects ...

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  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: High School

7. Steroids

... the androgenic effects of testosterone. There are only four legal uses for steroid treatment for certain forms of cancer, pituitary dwarfism, and serious hormone disturbances. There are two forms of anabolic steroids those taken orally and those injected. The immediate effects of both are mood swings of many different kinds. In one study, physicians Ian Wilson, Arthur Prang, Jr., and Patricio ... can also lead to hypertension, stress and neurologic problems. Steroid users also experience higher levels of aggression, often called " 'roid rages" (Schwarzenegger, 726). A recent study has de...

  • Word Count: 1836
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Grade Level: High School

8. Anabolic Steriods

... infection and delayed healing of injuries, Cushing's syndrome, enlarged prostate, head and stomach aches, liver disease and many more. Charles Yesalis and Virginia Cowart authors of The Steroid Game states, "Anabolic steroids may sound cool to take because they give you a chance to gain weight, strength, power, speed, endurance, and aggressiveness, but what people don't realize is that there are a ... effects, which some can be fatal" (Yesalis & Cowart 36). Throughout this paper you will be informed of who uses steroids, the side effects of using steroids, as well as how and why steroids...

  • Word Count: 1207
  • Approx Pages: 5

9. Anabolic Steriods

... infection and delayed healing of injuries, Cushing's syndrome, enlarged prostate, head and stomach aches, liver disease and many more. Charles Yesalis and Virginia Cowart authors of The Steroid Game states, "Anabolic steroids may sound cool to take because they give you a chance to gain weight, strength, power, speed, endurance, and aggressiveness, but what people don't realize is that there are a ... effects, which some can be fatal" (Yesalis & Cowart 36). Throughout this paper you will be informed of who uses steroids, the side effects of using steroids, as well as how and why steroids...

  • Word Count: 1207
  • Approx Pages: 5

10. Steroids

... players, and other athletes. These types of athletes, and others, use Anabolic-Androgenic steroids for the ability to train longer and harder. Anabolic-androgenic steroids are man-made synthetic substances that are related to testosterone, the male hormone. Anabolic-androgenic steroids are commonly called, Anabolic steroids, for short, anabolic referring to muscle building and androgenic referring to increased masculine characteristics. People ... , extreme irritability, delusions, and impaired judgment stemming from feelings of invincibility. Because of this, some people turn to other dr...

  • Word Count: 1006
  • Approx Pages: 4

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