Final Draft - Anabolic Steroids in Youth and Sports

Lucas Hernandez

English 102 -1:00 p.m. Section

Dr. Sonia Apgar Begert

18 March, 2014

Anabolic Steroids in Youth and Sports

            Steroids (specifically anabolic steroids) are generally used for their muscle gaining properties and increase in testosterone levels. Anabolic steroids are used for their beneficial properties of increasing the athlete’s strength, speed, and endurance. Sports such as Baseball, Bodybuilding, and Track and Field have records of athletes using steroids illegally. Steroids are far to abused in our sports industry. Athletes are pushed to their absolute level in competition and will do anything in order to gain the edge on their particular sport, including using illegal performance enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids. Steroids should continue to be banned from sports and athletes, including bodybuilders, should be penalized when tested positive for the drug. The best action we can take is to educate parents, primary care physicians, coaches, and kids of the drastic, long term side effects of steroid use. This paper will be underlining the serious issues with steroid use in athletes and young adults.

Steroids have drastic effects on both genders, male and female, but the effects of the drug vary; my research tells me that females suffer far greater repercussions than males when using anabolic steroids. According to Fred Hartgens article   "Effects of Androgenic-Anabolic Steroids in Athletes." from Sports Medicine,  In females using steroids, adverse effects include a deepened voice, acne, male pattern hair loss, clitoral enlargement, and increased facial and body hair. Other long-term risks include liver cancer, depression, and birth defects in children of mothers who once used steroids. Fred Hartgens explains that steroids have a drastic toll on the female reproductive system, causing an increased number of miscarriages along with growth retardation of the fetus (Hartgens, Fred). These side effects are considered irreversible, even after steroid use stops. Majority of females who use anabolic steroids explain that they had little or no knowledge of the drug beforehand. An anonymous female bodybuilder, from Anabolic Steroids.com, confessed her use of steroids explaining that she had no knowledge of the drug beforehand, “During and after 2 cycles of these drugs I experienced mood changes, dramatic fat loss, increased lean body mass, and indescribable pumps in the gym. I didn't notice any negative side effects until....” long term side effects take a while to kick in, but when activated are irreversible. “I noticed my voice started cracking during conversation. The sound of my voice was inconsistent and unpredictable.” Deepening of voice is one of the permanent side effects of anabolic steroids, “the decision I made two years ago haunts me every day of my life.” Unfortunately for this anonymous bodybuilder she was not informed of the drastic side effects of anabolic steroids (Anabolicsteroids.com). Her, along with countless others have stories of the effects of steroids overtaking their body and mind. Candice Armstrong a female bodybuilder from Walthamstow London steroid abuse went so far as to effectively turn her into a fully functioning man. Like many other female bodybuilders, she began taking the drug without the intention of becoming masculine but explains that she’s too far in to stop. “You could argue that when I wanted big arms and broad shoulders, a bigger back and small hips, that that was a masculine look but I didn't consciously decide I want to change from a woman into a man.” The side effects that Candice is currently suffering includes, excess body hair, acne, and the growth of a 1-inch ‘male part’. Candice has no intention of stopping her steroid use, “I think it would do more harm than good,” she explains. “I’d lose all the muscles but I wouldn't lose all the masculine qualities like the facial hair and the deep voice... It doesn't really go back. If I was to try and reverse that, I'd need the same sort of procedures as a male becoming a woman.” Once the long term side effect kick in there is no reversal of these conditions. Candice, along with majority of steroid users, has to learn to deal with these side effects and make the best of what they have. “It's opened doors and enabled me to develop myself the way I want to,” she says. “It's given the opportunity to live out one of my dreams. I've started doing a bit of drag and I love it. I've always wanted to do a bit of drag!” (Ruth, Styles) Clearly Candice is a very acceptable person when it comes to conditions that not everyone would deem favorable, but not everyone has the same outlook. Majority of female steroid users who were unfortunate enough to have taken the drug without knowledge of the side effects will have to deal with them, knowing that there is no going back.

 When the thought of steroids comes into mind people create this image of hulking male bodybuilders such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, and Ronnie Coleman. Rarely does the image of a female com into mind. This is because men, on average, take four to five times more steroids than women according to major league test results. A possible reason for this is that the physical side effects such as increase of facial hair, acne, deepening voice and muscle mass are all masculine qualities that would be difficult for females to hide. This is because steroids cause increase of testosterone and other derivatives that give women these secondary sex characteristics. Female users only have to take a tenth as much testosterone as males; this is because males naturally have more testosterone than women and their bodies can accommodate a larger amount.

Anabolic steroids are not only abused by older athletic adults but by young teen individuals. According to Anne E. Stein’s article “Girls Using Steroids” from Lifestyles Magazine Researchers have found that up to 5 percent of high school girls and 7 percent of middle-school girls have acknowledged using anabolic steroids at least once (Stein, Anne). Some use steroids in the hope of becoming thin; others use steroids to push themselves beyond their athletic limits in sports.  Adverse effects of young teen girls using steroids mirror the effects of adults using the drug, but also include disruption of menstrual periods and the closing off of growth plates, causing stunted growth. Though steroids do have medicinal purposes on young growing teens, such as a ‘jump start’ to puberty, but when administered without the consent and guidance of a doctor the side effects greatly outweigh the benefits.

The issue with steroid use in young athletes is education. Our youth lack the knowledge of steroids’ side effects, and because of this they fall victim to the long term consequences. According to Jon Buzby’s article, “Delaware: DIAA Opts To EducateOn Steroids” from CBS Sports.com Delaware, along with New Mexico and Oregon, is beginning to educate their student on the long term drastic side effects on steroids abuse. Many states, such as California and Texas, are beginning mandatory drug tests on their student athletes which is a very successful in the prevention of further steroid use. The only issue with mandatory steroid testing is the cost. In Texas, according to a June 30 story published in the Houston Chronicle, only 2 of the 10,000 students tested came back with positive results. The testing cost of $3 million means that each student caught cost the state $1.5 million. Michael Valania, a sophomore varsity wrestler at St. Mark’s High School in Wilmington, Delaware, agrees testing is not a good use of money. “To waste money and find just a couple of users instead of further developing an education program to impact hundreds would seem foolish,” Valania says. Though legislators at St. Marks have not yet mandated an official education program they have strongly urged coaches and staff to educate athletes on the dangers of anabolic steroids (Buzby, Jon). According to the 2007 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 3.9 percent of high school students in the nation have used anabolic steroids without a prescription. Don Hooton, whose son committed suicide after becoming depressed from steroid use runs the Taylor Hooton Foundation, which focuses on trying to prevent steroid use among youth through education. Parents and teachers often leave out steroids from the picture when talking to kids about dangerous drugs. When asked about youth and steroids, Don Hooton explained, “No one is talking to teens about steroids. So, if all they know is that it makes you bigger, faster and stronger, why are we surprised that we have a group of kids motivated to do this stuff,” Research from a nationwide study being conducted by the Taylor Hooton Foundation found that 84 percent of high school students have never had anyone, not even a parent or coach, talk to them about the dangers of steroids. According to Hooton, similar to prescription drugs, kids don’t equate steroid use with drug use and instead see it as a supplement.  Hooton said most students are surprised to learn that using steroids without a prescription is a felony. “They are completely unaware that there are any real risks associated with using things like steroids--that it’s a schedule 3 controlled substance that is illegal, and is extremely dangerous and can cause both physical and psychological effects,” (CADCA). For the first time, Little League, with a membership of more than 2.4 million boys and girls around the world, will develop an education program about the dangers of steroid use for young baseball and softball players. Because of the Major League Baseball’s most recent drug suspensions of a total of 14 players tied to the Biogenesis scandal, Little League has decided to partner with the Taylor Hooton Foundation to develop an online education program for the organization’s thousands of coaches and volunteers.  The program aims to educate children, their parents, and their coaches about the dangers of steroid use, especially after recent polls showed that few American adults viewed steroid use among teenagers as a serious problem (Waldron, Travis).  We must make it clear to our young athletes that steroids have serious side effects and can’t be used as a supplement to simply become bigger and stronger. Former athletes who previously used steroids and are now suffering the consequences and experts on the drugs should teach students and educators that steroids are a big deal and should not be used unless prescribed.

Steroids are a very controversial subject when it comes to sports, especially the sport of body building. When the subject of steroids comes into mind body building judges seem to turn a blind eye. The question is should Anabolic Steroids be legal in the sport of bodybuilding? An anonymous interview between a pro IFBB body builder and a representative of Bodybuilding.com Steve Holeman brought a lot of controversial subjects out of the dark. When asked how much he spent on drugs per year, the nameless bodybuilder responder with “Well, growth hormone alone costs you $30,000 a year” when asked about his total drug bill, the response was ridiculous, “About $60,000, but it's going to be higher next year. Just this last year I had to add [blank]. Right now it's the number-one bodybuilding "supplement" in the competition ring. All these guys you see getting bigger, it's that.” So, it’s not just steroids that give bodybuilders the competitive edge, new supplements are constantly being implemented into the sport, and every one of them has drastic effect on health. The anonymous bodybuilder was asked if he had anything else he wanted to get off of his chest, he told the interviewer to brace himself, and responded with one last comment, “They don't talk about how much drug [abuse] there is. And it's not just the steroids. We've got to use speed and stuff like that. We have to use a lot of diuretics, things that aren't too healthy, and they don't feel good. Lots of guys are using cocaine-not just because they like it, but it helps you get cut up, it helps you not eat. With drugs there's use and abuse. But at our level I feel we're getting exploited, you know? They pump us full of drugs...” Besides the steroids, bodybuilders are abusing countless drugs. It’s astonishing what risks they’ll take in order to gain the competitive edge. Because of steroids, bodybuilder’s have resorted to using larger amounts of equally dangerous drugs, you could call it a gateway drug. 100% of pro bodybuilders use steroids simply because they have to in order to compete. Without steroids or the Human Growth Hormone IFBB pro bodybuilder’s wouldn’t be nearly the size they are today. When youth, or aspiring bodybuilders look at the massive pros they think that it’s all hard work and dedication and that someday they could possibly become their size without the use of performance enhancing drugs. The bodybuilding and supplement corporations are causing youth to aspire to create a body which would not be possible without the use of steroids, and are contributing to the rapid use of steroids in armature bodybuilding. “At our level I feel we're getting exploited, you know? They pump us full of drugs...or we pump ourselves full of drugs to make ourselves look like freaks, and we get on stage and that's our job. But we don't get paid hardly anything. The guy who uses our pictures, the supplement companies, make all the money, and they don't give us nothing. If it wasn't for our picture, they wouldn't have nothing to promote.” It really is sad how a corporation could be more concerned about money than the health of their athletes (Holeman, Steve).

Steroids could possibly make our sports industry much more exciting, but at what cost? Daniel Gordon’s documentary “Ben Johnson – The Race That Shocked the World” underlines the key points of numerous steroid abuses in the 1988 Olympic Games. In the film, Angella Issajenko, a former Canadian 100 meter record holder explained, “I remember Charley (Angella’s coach) saying ‘you know they’re all on performance enhancing drugs’ and I’m thinking oh my god, if this is what my competitors are doing then I have to do this to.” Similar to bodybuilding, steroids play a large role in our Olympic sports, especially those that require a large amount of muscle mass. When your competitor’s are using a performance enhancing drug that gives them a drastic edge on the sport, it is difficult to keep yourself from abusing the same substance. Charlie Francis, Ben Johnson’s coach explains the reason behind turning to anabolic steroids, “Sooner or later your ability to succeed on natural talent runs out when you run against the chemical barrier. The question became, you know, do you take drugs and try to win or do you content yourself with losing forever by staying away from them.” As an Olympic athlete, where the sport is the most important thing in your life it’s difficult to accept the fact that without the use of illegal drugs there’s no possible way of winning, or getting close to winning. Robson Da Silva, a 100 meter sprinter in the 1988 Olympic games was one of the few athletes who wasn’t tested positive for anabolic steroids, “I decided to not take it and lose, but those guys, during the 80’s, they must have taken something! I just had to think about how hard it was for me to be at practice every day and to run ten flat and those guys run it easily. That’s the question that I need the answer for.” For players like Robson, who prefer to compete clean and work harder for their results, it’s unfair to compete with athletes who chose to use the drug. In the Olympic games of 1988, nearly every single one hundred meter sprinter was tested positive for steroid abuse (Gordon, Daniel). With this in mind, should steroids be illegal? The primary reason why performance enhancing drugs are outlawed in professional sports is that they give users an unfair advantage over the rest of the field. But, If each individual athlete is administered the drug, with the same dosage and same frequency, is any particular athlete gaining the edge? It’s a hard debate to take into mind and a very controversial topic at the moment.  Julian Savulescu, an Australian philosopher and Bioethicists and Professor of  Uehiro Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford, when asked in a recent debate regarding the legalization of steroids in sports responded with “To say that we should reduce drugs in sport or eliminate them because they increase performance, is simply like saying that we should eliminate alcohol from parties because it increases sociability.” In Julian’s view, he believes that since steroids have been a part of our sport industry for so long, they might as well be legalized. Arguing against Julian was Dale Murphy, a former Major League Baseball outfielder who started the iWon't Cheat Foundation to help rid sports of drugs, says: "We need better testing; harsher punishments and people will decide not to get involved with performance-enhancing drugs, if you gamble on the game in any way, shape or form your career will be over." There are many different outlooks on the use of anabolic steroids in sports and a few different believed solutions to the problem (NPR). This is a difficult topic that is still being debated in out sports industry.

It’s hard for our clean athletes to compete against athletes with an unfair advantage. The sport industry is full of competitive players, dying to gain the edge on their particular sport and many turn to steroids without the knowledge or the care of the drug’s negative side effects. It is obvious that steroids are a dangerous drug with a large amount of consequences. Though the legalization of steroids could increase popularity and excitement in our sports industry, the long term side effects on our athletes is not worth the risk.  If our athletes, students, teachers and coaches are educated on the serious side effects of anabolic steroids we could greatly reduce the risk of people unintentionally using them without knowledge of the drug.

Works Cited

Hartgens, Fred, and Harm Kuipers "Effects of Androgenic-Anabolic

Steroids in Athletes." Sports Medicine 34.8 (2004): 513-554.Web. 13 Feb, 2014.

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“Intelligence Squared U.S.” Debate. NPR Hourly News. NPR. Natl. Public Radio. Web. 2 Aug, 2012. Web. 14 Feb. 2014.

“How to Spot a Steroid User” SteroidAbuse.Com Association Against Steroid Abuse, N.D.. 12 June. 2012. Web. 13 Feb. 2014.

 "Anabolic Steroids" CESAR.EDU Center of Substance Abuse Research. 29 Oct. 2013. 13 Feb. 2014.

Styles, Ruthe. 'Steroids turned me into a man!' Letter. Mail Online. Mail Online, 23 Oct. 2013. 13 Feb. 2014.

"Women and Steroids" Association Against Steroid Abuse. Steroid Abuse.com, 2010. Web. 14 Feb, 2014.

Buzby, Jon “Deloware: DIAA Opts To Educate On Steroids” MaxPreps.com, Aug. 10, 2006. Web. 14 March. 2014.

Holman, Steve  “The Most Shocking Bodybuilder Interview Ever”  Trulyhuge.com. 15 Aug. 2006. Web. 13 Feb. 2014.

“Experts Urge More Education About Steroid Danger” CADAC.org Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America. 31, July. 2008. Web. 14 Feb. 2014.

Gordon, Daniel “Ben Johnson – The Race That Shocked The World” Online Video Clip. YouTube. YouTube, 19, Aug. 2013. Web. 13 March. 2014

“I Am a Woman Who Lost a Precious Gift” Online Article. Anabolicsteroids.com. Anabolic Steroids.com, 13 June, 2008. Web. 13 Feb, 2008.

Stein, Ann “Girls Using Steroids Should be Aware of the Adverse Side Effects” Lifestyles magazine. Lifestyles Magazine, 44 May, 2005. Web. 14 Feb, 2014.

Waldron, Travis “Little League World Series Will Educate Kids about Dangers of Steroids” Think Progress. Think Progress, 14 Aug. 2014. Web. 13 Feb, 2014.