|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
| Strength in a Bottle? |
|
| by Coach Doug Reese, TTNL |
|
|
Anabolic steroids are prescription drugs - a synthetic reproduction of the male hormone testosterone. The only intended use of anabolic steroids is for doctors to treat conditions such as muscle diseases, breast cancer, severe burns, rare types of anemia, and kidney disease. Because of their dangerous side effects doctors use them in minimal doses.
Anabolic steroids are obtained on the black market or from unethical doctors, coaches, trainers, by body builders, athletes in increasing numbers...
|
|
|
 |
|
|
| Steroids are used by over two million people in the U.S. alone to enhance strength or to improve their physique or appearance.
Steroids may be taken orally or injected. Usually they are taken in massive doese 20 to 100 times the normal therapeutic dose used for medical conditions. When combined with a resistance training program, they have been found to increase strength and muscle mass, but their adverse side effects far outweigh any benefits. In women, unlike men, some of these effects are irreversible.
As can be seen in the table below, steroids like all drugs are dangerous!
Adverse Effects of Anabolic Steriods
|
|
|
|
Physical
- Cancer of the liver
- Cardiac disease
- Hypertension and increased risk of strokes
- Edema (puffy face)
- Scalp hair loss
- Nose bleeds
- Immune system may be suppressed
- Decreased HDL
- Decreased aerobic capacity
- Altered glucose tolerance
- Severe acne
- Oily skin
- Muscle and bone injuries
- Frequent headaches
- Sterility
- Possible death
|
|
|
|
Psychological
- Total personality change
- Hostile and aggressive; violent behavior; sexual crimes
- Addiction
- Inability to accept failure
- Sleep disturbance (when cycled off the drug)
- Depression
- Apathy
- Wide mood swings
- Reverse anorexia (eating complusion)
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Eventhough steroids make muscles stronger, tendons and ligaments do not increase in strength proportionately. Therefore, a strong muscle contraction can tear a tendon and/or a ligament. This is made more serious because steroids can make an injury heal more slowly. When steriods increase muscle size, the extra muscle can grow around the bones and joints causing them to break more easily.
Twenty-five Soviet athletes who competed in the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games have died from steroid use. The deaths of several American professional athletes have also been attributed to anabolic steriod use.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Human Growth Hormones
HGH is produced by the pituitary gland, but it is made synthetically for use as a performance enhancer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Some athletes are using HGH in addition to anabolic steroids, or in place of anabolic steroids, because it is difficult to detect in urine tests.It is believed that HGH increases muscle mass and bone growth and hasten healing of tendons and cartilage; however, its adverse effects can be deforming and life threatening.
- Irreversible acromegaly (giantism)
- Gross deformities
- Cardiovascular disease
- Goiter
- Menstrual disorders
- Excessive sweating
- Lax muscles and ligaments
- Premature bone closure
- Decreased sexual desire and impotence
- Shortened life span
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Not So Safe Substitutes
In an effort to avoid the undesirable side effects of anabolic steroids or the detection of its use by sports governing bodies who have banned it, some athletes or body builders are taking chemicals and supplements such as boron, chromium picolinate, gama oryzanol and L-carnitine.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| There is also a considerable market for "glandulars" such as ground-up bull testes, hypothalamus and pituitary glands, hearts, livers, spleens, and brains. These products have been advertised as "steroid alternatives." Dietitians and FDA and the National Council Against Health Fraud are alarmed at these practices, and consider it to be potentially dangerous, because these products have not been effectively tested. There is no published scientific evidence to substantiate claims for improved human performance.
References:
Peterson, PG; About Steroids, Santa Cruz, CA; ETR Associates, Network Publications, 1990.
Philen, R., et al. "Survey of Advertising for Nutritional Supplements in Health and Body Building Magazines." Journal of American Medical Association 268 (1992); 1008.
Yesalis, C. Anabolic Steroids in Sport and Exercise. Champaign, IL; Human Kinetics Publishers, 1993.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Copyright © 2000-2004, TTNL Sports Network |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|