| We
have all caught the glimpse or been given the picture of
that excessively muscular wrestler or that baseball player
that used to be as skinny as toothpick and now is miraculously
the size of Hercules himself. Some wonder what workout plan
he or she is on; others notice that the change is not possible
with exercise alone. But in everyone’s mind the thought
comes, even if only for a moment, that the athlete could
not have done it all by himself. Weeks later steroid use
is the talk of the media.
Steroids are performance enhancing drugs that usually provide
extra testosterone to help athletes enhance their muscles,
and performance. It causes growth in muscles and faster
healing from aching bones that are over worked in the gym.
Originally, these pills and shots were used to help young
boys who didn’t hit puberty at the time that they
were supposed to or in some cases it was for people’s
whose bodies were wasting away from diseases such as AIDS.
Scientists have approved these products for use by healthy
individuals.
Steroids are often used in the medical field. There are
different types of steroids used:
- Corticoste – which are prescription or non-prescription
ointments to heal rashes and itches.
- Estrogens and Progestogen – which are put in birth
control pills Androgen – which treats females with
breast cancer and other problems with breast.
Like most things there is a good and bad side. Though steroids
seem good at the moment people who use steroids may not
actually have the strength that is portrayed by all the
muscles they have. The point of the matter is that although
steroids are more convenient then staying in the hospital
for an injury that a pill could have easily healed, it is
not healthy.
Steroids have many different side effects, internal and
external. Most side effects are hard to notice. The most
popular side effect to these drugs is impotence.
Other Side affects include:
- Changes in the skin – becomes rough and you acquire
acne. The side effects are worse for women because women
are known to have smooth skin.
- Baldness – steroids does not cause baldness but
it helps speed up to process.
- Difference in Behavior – they find themselves more
aggressive which may be good because they play harder but
also can be bad because the person becomes unable to control
there behavior.
- Development of female characteristics in males –
most who discontinue the use of steroids often develop female
breasts because they no longer have the same amount of testosterone.
- Development of male characteristics in females –
women see an increased amount of facial and body hair, a
deep voice, baldness, and other defects.
These
are just a few. The side effects are more serious than many
people think. No one really knows exactly how a product
will personally affect them until they use it. Although
these companies say the product works is it worth it. Take
for example Lyle Martin Alzado who was once a great football
player. During the 1970’s, he played for the Denver
Broncos, Cleveland Browns and L.A. Raiders. When he retired
from football he developed Brain Cancer. He blamed it on
steroids. He died in 1991 ant the age of 43 years old.
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