At the 1998 Olympics, Canadian track superstar Ben Johnson was denied the gold metal after tests showed he had taken anabolic steroids. The incident called international attention to the use of anabolic steroids among world-class athletes to gain a competitive edge. Still, athletes and non-athletes are taking anabolic steroids not to just excel in sports but to enhance self-images by perfecting their physique.
Efforts to enhance performance are nothing new in competitive sports. Athletes, whether they are young or old, professional or amateur, are always looking to gain an advantage over their opponents. The desire for an "edge" exists in all sports, at all levels of play. Successful athletes rely on practice and hard work to increase their skill, speed, power, and ability. However, some athletes resort to drugs to improve their performance on the field or the court. Hundreds of years ago athletes ate special meals of meat and honey in preparation for important events. For some athletes today, vitamins, supplements and even illegal drugs, such as anabolic steroids, are as much a part of their diet as fruits and grains. It is important to know that using anabolic steroids not only is illegal, but it also can have serious side effects.
In the past, steroid use was seen mostly in college, Olympic, and professional sports. Today, athletes as well as nonathletes in high schools and middle schools are using steroids. Most commonly, steroid use can be found among the following groups; athletes involved in sports that rely on strength and size such as football, wrestling or baseball, endurance athletes such as those involved in track and field and swimming, athletes involved in weight training or body building, or anyone interested in building and defining their muscles.
Anabolic steroids can be taken in two different ways, by mouth orally or by injecting a needle. Athletes who share needles to inject steroids are also at a risk for serious infections including Hepatitis B, HIV, and AIDS. Some athletes take even higher doses called “megadoses,” to produce faster results. Others gradually increase the amount they take over time, which is called "pyramiding." Taking different kinds of anabolic steroids, possibly along with other drugs, is a dangerous practice known as "stacking."
Steroids can cause serious health problems. Many changes take place inside the body and may not be noticed until it is too late. Some effects will go away when steroid use stops but others may not. Possible side effects for males and females include; high blood pressure and heart disease, liver damage and cancers, stroke and blood clots, urinary and bowel problems, headaches, aching joints, muscle cramps, nausea and vomiting, sleep problems, increased risk in ligament and tendon injuries, severe acne, and baldness.
One of the more disturbing effects of steroid use for males is that the body begins to produce less of its own testosterone. As a result, the testicles may begin to shrink. Other effects of steroid use for males include; reduced sperm count, increased nipple and breast size, known as gynecomastia, and an enlarged prostate gland. Since steroids act as a male hormone the effects on women are different from men. Women may experience reduced breast size, increase in facial and body hair, deepened voice, and menstrual problems.
There is a special danger to adolescents. High school and middle school students and athletes need to be aware of the effect steroids have on growth. Anabolic steroids, even in small doses, have been shown to stop growth too soon. Adolescents also may be at risk for becoming dependent on steroids. Adolescents who use steroids are also more likely to use other addictive drugs and alcohol.
Steroids can have also change your mind and behavior. Users often experience “roid rage,” a severe aggressive behavior that may result in violence, mood swings, hallucinations, paranoia, anxiety, panic attacks, and suicidal depression.
Lower doses of anabolic steroids sometimes are used to treat a handful of very serious medical conditions. They should not be confused with corticosteroids, which are used to treat common medical conditions such as asthma and arthritis. Corticosteroids are strong medications, but do not have muscle-building effects.
In 1996 major league baseball star Ken Caminiti admitted to using anabolic steroids during the entire season he won the national league most valuable player award. Ken believes that at least half of today’s professional baseball players use some sort of performance enhancing drug. Today, success in sports takes talent, skill, and most of all, practice and hard work. Using steroids is a form of cheating and interferes with fair competition. More importantly, they are dangerous to your health. There are many other healthy ways to increase your strength or improve your appearance such as training healthy without using drugs, eating a healthy diet, getting plenty of rest, setting realistic achievable goals, or seeking out training supervision from a coach or a personal trainer. Successful athletes combine their natural abilities with hard work to win. There is no quick and easy way to become the best.

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