Today, many individuals, including adolescents, continue to employ a variety of drugs, such as anabolic steroids, to improve their athletic performance and appearance. According to experts, the appetite for these drugs has been created predominantly by societal fixations on winning and physical appearance.
There are physiological concerns associated with steroid use, however, including drug dependence and increased aggression. Recent evidence suggests that long-time steroid users and steroid abusers may experience the classic characteristics of addiction including cravings, difficulty in stopping steroid use and withdrawal symptoms.
āAddiction is an extreme of dependency, which may be a psychological, if not physical, phenomena,ā says Dr. Gary I. Wadler, an American College of Sports Medicine physician. āRegardless, there is no question that when regular steroid users stop taking the drug they get withdrawal pains and if they start up again the pain goes away. They have difficulties stopping use even though they know itās bad for them.ā
Perhaps most alarming are the severe health risks associated with steroid use and abuse. These have been well documented in medical literature and are a function of the specific steroid used, the dose and duration of use, as well as the route of administration.
āThere can be a whole panoply of side effects, even with prescribed doses,ā says Dr. Wadler. āSome are visible to the naked eye and some are internal. Some are physical, others are psychological. With unsupervised steroid use, wanton āmegadosingā or stacking (using a combination of different steroids), the effects can be irreversible or undetected until itās too late.ā
Anabolic steroid use has been implicated in early heart disease, including sudden death, changes in blood cholesterol profile (increased LDL, lower HDL) resulting in increased risk of coronary artery disease, an increase in tendon injuries, liver tumors, testicular atrophy, gynecomastia (abnormal enlargement of breasts in males), severe acne, premature closure of growth plates in adolescents, emotional disturbances, and other significant health risks.
Other adverse effects related to steroid use and abuse, such as their effects on the cardiovascular system, blood clotting, liver function and cholesterol metabolism, are less predictable and may occur from months to years subsequent to their use.
In females, anabolic steroids have been associated with a number of adverse effects, some of which appear to be permanent even when drug use is stopped. These include menstrual abnormalities, deepening of voice, shrinkage of breasts, male-pattern baldness, and increases in sex drive, body hair and clitoris size.
According to Dr. Wadler, anabolic steroids can cause severe mood swings. āPeopleās psychological states can run the gamut,ā says Wadler. āThey can go from bouts of depression or extreme irritability to feelings of invincibility and outright aggression, commonly called āroid rage.ā This is a dangerous state beyond mere assertiveness.ā
Anabolic steroids are synthetic versions of the primary male sex hormone, testosterone, and are administered primarily in oral and injectable forms. These drugs are usually obtained from black market sources, which often include distributors of other illegal drugs. Beyond the dangers associated with anabolic steroid use, the purity and quality control of black market sources may be an additional concern.
Individuals who use anabolic steroids, particularly those experienced in weight training, will experience increases in strength and muscle significantly beyond those observed from training alone.
Corey Beatty recalls when his brother, Travis began taking steroid injections over the summer. Travis purchased a six-week cycle for $600.
āAfter a few weeks of him taking them I started noticing changes in him,ā said Corey. āI noticed him getting stronger quicker then ever when we lifted together. You could notice physical changes in him a little bit. He started gaining muscle weight. We both knew the dangers of the drug. The only difference is he didnāt care what could happen to his body and I did.ā
Corey remembers getting a phone call from his mother when she called an ambulance because something was wrong with Travis. The family didnāt know he was taking the steroids. When Corey arrived at the house, Travis was lying in the back of the ambulance with no control of his eyes and his throat was swelling up.
āI told the EMTs at the house what all he was on and gave them his steroids,ā explained Corey. āBecause of that information they gave him the right medication and he came back around after a while. The doctor said that he had a reaction to all the substances he had in his system. They released him a few hours later. We went home with my family and he gave them the rest of the steroids he had in his room.ā
In order to prevent cases similar to Travisās, the American College of Sports Medicine stresses the need for ācleanā athletes, those not taking performance-enhancing drugs or supplements, to publicly deplore the use of steroids among their teammates and peers. Other individuals who influence young athletes, such as parents and coaches, should establish a no-tolerance policy for performance-enhancing substances, and intervene whenever necessary.
āThey are not sensing or seeing the extremely dangerous game they are playing with these drugs,ā said Dr. Nick A. Evans. āCreating awareness among influencers like parents, coaches, trainers and health professionals may be a way to reach users and help them guide them back to safe health and fitness habits.ā
The Beatty family has seen a positive change in Travis since he quit using steroids and hope his story will deter other young adults away from using steroids.
āI think steroids are so popular because they are the easy way out,ā said Corey. āNo matter how great the physical changes are you gain, it isnāt worth the damage it does to your body.ā