ANABOLIC STEROIDS.   Term Paper ID:28151 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Use by professional & amateur athletes. Scope of problem; effects (performance enhancing & harmful).... More...

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Paper Abstract: Use by professional & amateur athletes. Scope of problem; effects (performance enhancing & harmful). Paper Introduction: The International Olympic Committee banned the use of anabolic steroids in 1976, and the American College of Sports Medicine produced a study in 1984 that examined the use of anabolic steroids. The study found that anabolic steroids contributed to increased body weight and could increase muscular strength in some athletes under proper conditions. The American college of Sports Medicine condemned the use of these drugs. Anabolic steroid use is associated with a variety of toxic effects, from adverse effects on the liver to effects on the male reproductive system (Dyment & Goldberg, 1989, 127). However, professional athletes and young athletes in high school and college are still using anabolic steroids as well. The scope of the problem is considerable. It is estimated that over one million Americans, half of them adolescents, use Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. McClelland, S. Dyment, P.G. "Illicit anabolicsteroid use in athletes: A case series analysis." The American Journal ofSports Medicine, 422-427. Achieving this look is not easy:"It takes a lot of sweating and spending to achieve a hard-body look"(McClelland, 199, 38). The authors conclude that pastanabolic steroid studies are irrelevant by today's standards and should beredone. Anabolic-androgenic steroids are used to treat a variety of diseasesand conditions and were originally developed as synthetic analogues oftestosterone to minimize the androgenic (masculinizing) properties oftestosterone while maintaining its anabolic (growth-promoting) effects.All have some androgenic effects, however. The study foundthat anabolic steroids contributed to increased body weight and couldincrease muscular strength in some athletes under proper conditions. (199 ). Some studies actually show thatit is unclear whether these drugs actually do enhance athletic ability,though clearly many users believe they do. That contrasted starkly with previously held notions that steroids were used mostly to increase athletic performance. Hallagan, B., Hallagan, L.F., & Snyder, M.B. Another influence on young people using steroids is the body imagesociety promotes as being ideal. TheAmerican college of Sports Medicine condemned the use of these drugs.Anabolic steroid use is associated with a variety of toxic effects, fromadverse effects on the liver to effects on the male reproductive system(Dyment & Goldberg, 1989, 127). Some sports involve a higher use of steroids than others, usuallybecause bulk is an important element along with strength. Weight liftingis such a sport. The use of anabolic steroids may be reduced now that there is areasonable test for the drug, something that was lacking in the past.Before the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, it seemed that the labs had caught upwith the use of this drug with a new, extremely sensitive testing machine,the high-resolution mass spectrometer (HRMS). Anabolic-androgenic steroid arenot regulated as controlled substances in the United States, though theyare in Canada and in several individual states. and they take steroids. The analysis of their drug histories showed that therewere significant increases in body weight and strength and that mentalstatus changes were also reported, including depression, hostility,aggression, and paranoia. This study showed a clear need for increased educationabout the use of steroids and about the harmful side effects that canemanate from such use. Themost commonly used drugs are anabolic steroids, which have the effect ofmaking athletes bigger, stronger, and faster. . The methodused was a self-report questionnaire allowing multiple answers for eachquestion. Reductionsin serum levels also appeared to result in acute hyperadrenergic withdrawalsymptoms. & Goldberg, B. News & World Report,54-63. He ingested enormous quantitiesof carbs and calories and got as big and strong as possible. It is an obsessive devotion to an ideal" (McClelland, 1999, 38). (1989, June)."Anabolic steroid use by male adolescents." Pediatrics, 921-924. McClelland(1999) notes how this image developed: The idealized male body image nowadays is beefy and muscled, as epitomized in the Calvin Klein underwear advertisements showcasing the bulging pecs and rippling abdomen of Antonio Sabato Jr. It is estimated that over one million Americans,half of them adolescents, use black-market steroids, while countless othersare choosing from among more than 1 other substances, legal and illegal,touted as physique boosters and performance enhancers. While his reason fordoing so is unclear, some believe his use of anabolic steroids might havecontributed to the event. That was theculture for the sport and to an extent still is. Fifty-sevenpercent of teen users report that they were influenced by the numerousmuscle magazines that today reach a readership of at least seven million,and 42 percent said they were swayed by famous athletes who they wereconvinced took steroids. So if I go to the Olympics, I must take steroids (in (Eitzen, 1996, 3 6).However, the use of such performance-enhancing drugs actually corrupts theessence of fair sporting competition and should be considered a form ofcheating. Kashkin, K.B. Now that bodybuilding is being considered for inclusion in the Olympics, it will come under increasing scrutiny by the international athletic community. According to a 1995 report published by theCanadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute, men spend more thantwice as much as women in all categories related to fitness, includingclothing, exercise equipment, membership fees and instruction, and thisincludes spending money on illicit substances that will assist: One of the sad consequences of the push towards a hyper-masculine image is that it can rarely be obtained without the use of potentially harmful drugs. American studies show similar rates of use and an increase in therate of use among young people seeking to change their body image or toenhance athletic performance. "The paradox of sport: TheContradictory Lessons Learned." The World & I, 3 6. The athleteswere found to have sufficient experience to design their own drug regimensto give themselves the changes they needed. Canadian weightlifter Jacques Demers explained why he felt it necessary to use steroids: To go to international competitions, you have to meet international standards and those are based on what the Russians and Bulgarians do. It is estimated by one competitor that only about onepercent of strongmen have never used anabolic steroids, while another saysthe number is closer to fifty percent. Statistics on steroid use show an alarming number of male teenagers across the country are using the substance illegally simply to put on muscle. Studiesshould address this specific issue and make certain that the changes notedare because of the drugs and not merely an accompanying result of thethinking of the users (Perry, Andersen, & Yates, 199 , 422-427). The questionnaire was actually given to 1,775students, but eight were rejected because of ambiguous answers and the 914filled out by females were omitted because only five indicated the use ofsteroids. However, professional athletes and young athletes in high school andcollege are still using anabolic steroids as well. "The muscle murders." Sports Illustrated,96. And plastic surgeons report a general increase in men seeking their services to improve their appearance. (1998, July 27). Males have a different body image to emulate, and often this leads to theuse of steroids in order to bulk up and to enhance musculature. This study differed from others inthat the norm was to study only the anabolic effects of individual drugs.These athletes would use two or three oral agents during steroid cycleslasting between seven and fourteen weeks, along with two long-actinginjectable drugs. This is certain to change in the future, however. . Drug Enforcement Administration, and governmentofficials estimate that there are some 1 , outlets for the drugs(Schrof, 1992, 54-55). The black-market network for performanceenhancers is tops $4 million per year in the sale of steroids alone,according to the U.S. McCallum, J. (1989, January). The pool of respondents consisted of 853 male students in sixhigh schools in Arkansas. (1989, October 12)."Anabolic-androgenic steroid use by athletes." The New England Journal ofMedicine, 1 42-1 45. "This 'cult of masculinity' isn't just in gay culture as so many like to believe. The fact that users were so obsessed, though, calls into questionwhether the psychological changes noted were because of the drug or were afunction of their attitude toward athletics and performance. Eitzen, D.S. Men are increasingly being diagnosed with eating disorders. (1989, December 8). The users were less able to identify the side effects of steroiduse, and fully 22 percent were not aware of any complications associatedwith steroid use. "This is an early warning," said New York City author Michelangelo Signorile, whose book Life Outside chronicles the history of body image among homosexual men. "Just say go." Time International, 42. Outlawing anabolic steroids may becomeeasier with better methods of testing, but in truth, the steroids now inuse will only be replaced by some other less detectable drug to enhancebody image and performance. It envelops the entire culture. The authors set forth six commonly accepted criteria forpsychoactive substance use disorder and showed how they are fulfilled byanabolic steroid use and the attitudes and behavior of users. (1998, May 18). Women's suffrage and,later, the modern feminist movement caused men to covet a larger appearanceas a means of defending the male status. In addition, thereis likely to be more pressure to eliminate the use of anabolic steroids asthe result of several recent cases showing how dangerous their use can be.One such case is that of Bertil Fox, a former bodybuilding prodigy inprison for killing his girlfriend and her mother. A 1989 study showed that eleven percent of the males had usedsteroids, meaning 95 of the respondents. "The lure of the body image: Intheir quest for the beefcake look, some men try extreme measures."Maclean's, 38. (McClelland, 1999, 38). It may require using steroids, or trying to injure a competitor, or altering the transcript of a recruit so that he can play illegally (Eitzen, 1996, 3 6).Athletes use drugs to increase their intensity, endurance, or strength, andthey do this in spite of their illegality and harmful side effects. They are the best weight lifters in the world . Studies have shown that the ingestion of large quantities of anabolic steroids--many bodybuilders take up to 3, milligrams a week, 5 times more than the male body produces--can trigger episodes of violent rage in certain people. Among the reasons given for their use, nearly half said it was to change their physical appearance. Whether addiction is involved or not, it is evident that many usersbecome obsessed with body image and performance so that they use andoveruse these substances to achieve what they want. Months after the Gamesended, it emerged that four athletes whose urine was checked by the HRMShad tested positive for anabolic steroids, but they were not disqualifiedat the time out of fear that the technology might be successfullychallenged in court (Blair, 1998, 42). The users were found to be dedicated toimproving athletic performance to the point of obsession, which was amotivation to use anything that would improve performance. The authors concluded that a certain proportion of users ofanabolic steroids may develop this previously unidentified addiction, andas a consequence they felt that treatment should be based on research intothe effects of steroids and should include relapse prevention. The widespread use of anabolic steroids raised the question ofwhether they are addictive, and Kashkin & Kleber (1989) postulated apreviously unrecognized drug addiction they called a sex steroid hormone-dependence disorder. However, public opinionhas turned against steroid use in this sport as in others (McCallum, 1999,98). . Johnson, M.D., Jay, M.S., Shoup, B., & Rickert, V.I. Perry, P.J., Andersen, K.H., & Yates, W.R. . Over half the teensthat use steroids start before age 16, sometimes with the encouragement oftheir parents. In the study, which involved 16,169 high-school and elementary students, one in five reported that they knew someone who was taking anabolic steroids. The authors searched the literature and found other instances ofchanges associated with steroid use that mimic those associated withaddiction. Researchers who have studied both bodybuilders and the effects of steroid abuse agree that these athletes seem more inclined to extremely violent behavior than performers in any of the more conventional sports, including college and pro football, where steroid abuse has also been widespread (Nack, 1998, 96). "Hooked on hormones?An anabolic steroid addiction hypothesis." Journal of the American MedicalAssociation, 3166-3169. Various studies show thatseven percent of high-school male athletes use anabolic steroids, as dofifteen percent of male college athletes, six percent of female collegeathletes, and about fifty percent of those playing the power positions inprofessional football (meaning offensive and defensive lines andlinebackers). Nack, W. & Kleber, H.D. A 1993 study conducted for the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport concluded that four per cent of males aged 11 to 18-- as many as 83, young Canadians--used anabolic steroids in 1992 and 1993. References Blair, T. The evidence continues to accumulate that anabolic steroids aredangerous to the users and to people near them when and if the consequencesof heavy use lead to violence. "Pumped up." U.S. This was suggested by evidence showing thatelevations of serum levels of steroid hormones have profound psychologicaleffects and that long-term, high-dose use may lead to a preoccupation withdrug use. Until society changes the way competition isemphasized and the way body image is celebrated, athletes will find someway to cut corners with drugs. (1999, October 18). The results showed that the usersgenerally understood the effects of these drugs, though there were some whodid not. Worship of the body is not new, but the emphasis on the male beefcakelook has evolved gradually in North America over the past century.Analysts note that many men, straight and gay, adopted a more masculineappearance after the Oscar Wilde trials in the 189 s associated effeminatebehavior with homosexuality in the popular mind. It also showed the degree to which steroids haveinvaded the world of young athletes and emphasizes the dangers they faceapparently without knowing it (Johnson, Jay, Shoup, & Rickert, 1989, 921-924). There are signs, however, that some men are taking the image to extremes. "Anabolic steroids andthe adolescent athlete." Pediatrics, 127. Perry, Andersen, &Yates (199 ) analyzed the steroid use histories of 2 competitive andnoncompetitive weight lifters, and the 2 athletes studied consistentlypracticed the use of multiple drugs. Many of the six to twelve percent of boys who use steroidswant to be sports champions, but more than one third are not even on a high-school team. . Thisresearch is troubling if true, for it shows another harmful effect of thesedrugs that may be unknown and that is certainly not yet noted by users.This poses a new danger that has to be considered by professionals andathletes and that should also be considered by legislators ponderingregulation of these drugs (Kashkin & Kleber, 1989, 3166-3169). Schrof, J.M. Athletes in weight lifting, body building, and weightthrowing (meaning the shot put, discus, hammer, and javelin) are almostrequired to take steroids if they want to be successful. (1999, February 22). . Many of those who did not use steroids did know someonewho did use them. "Weightlifting: Titans OfTestosterone." Sports Illustrated, 98. The results of one study intended todetermine the extent of the use of anabolic steroids in a population ofhigh school male adolescents in a southern state show this. The typical user is middle-class and white. The spread of the use of anabolic steroids and other performanceenhancing drugs is related to the way sports culture has developed in theAmerican context, where the claim is made that winning and losing is lessimportant than how the game is played, but where, in fact, winning iseverything: If second is unacceptable and all the rewards go to the winners, then some will do whatever it takes to be first. Such a designation at thefederal level would allow for greater control (Hallagan, Hallagan, &Snyder, 1989, 1 42-1 45). (1992, June 1). The individualworked in the gym for four, five, six hours a day of intense training. Weight-lifting often involves fat-free, high-protein starvation diets that can heighten the irritability and anxietybrought on by steroid abuse: This subculture offers unusually fertile soil for aggression and, in some cases, deadly violence. The scope of theproblem is considerable. . Hethen injected juice or took it in capsules to add strength and to enablehim to train through injuries and fatigue. Young women face this issue when they seemodels and actresses on television who are extremely thin, and the youngwomen try to emulate these heroines and often damage their health doing so. The International Olympic Committee banned the use of anabolicsteroids in 1976, and the American College of Sports Medicine produced astudy in 1984 that examined the use of anabolic steroids. (1996, July 1). The sport was developed in an erawhen anabolic steroids were an accepted part of training. 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