Androgenic-anabolic steroid is a term used to describe a synthetic form of the male sex hormone testosterone. Steroids have both androgenic and anabolic effects on the body. Steroids are anabolic because they facilitate the development of male secondary sexual characteristics and androgenic because they facilitate muscle growth (NIDA, 2000). Since steroids promote muscle growth, athletes have sought to use steroids in order to enhance their athletic performance. Steroids, however, were not originally developed for the purpose of athletic enhancement.

Steroids were developed in the 1930s in order to treat people who suffered from hypogonadism (NIDA, 2000). People with hypogonadism do not produce enough testosterone, and steroid usage supplied their bodies with a synthetic source of testosterone. Shortly thereafter, the first recorded observance of steroid usage by athletes occurred during the 1956 Olympics. An American doctor in attendance observed that Russian athletes were using catheters in order to urinate (“Performance Enhancing Drugs,” 2004). The athletes were no longer able to urinate normally because of the enlargement of their prostates due to excessive steroid usage.

A double blind study conducted by Southern Cross University over a twelve week period found that steroid use led to a greater increase in muscle strength in male weight lifters. One group of eleven male athletes was given 3.5 mg per kg androgenic-anabolic steroid dosage per week, while another group of ten male athletes was given a placebo. Those athletes given the steroid experienced a 14% muscle strength increase. In contrast, those athletes given the placebo only experienced a 7% muscle strength increase (Giorgi, 1999).

Another study comparing strength increases between steroid and non-steroid using power lifters also found greater strength increases associated with steroid usage. Over the course of twenty-four weeks, one group of power lifters was given an anabolic steroid dosage of 31 mg per day, and the other group was given nothing. The steroid group experienced muscular strength increases of 14.7-18.2%, and the non-steroid group only experienced strength increases of 6.1-12.9% (Alen, 1984).

A ten week study conducted by Charles R. Drew University found that among forty untrained, active males, steroid usage led to greater increases in muscle size. Men given a placebo and no exercise experienced average muscle size decreases of 81 square millimeters (tricep area) and 131 square millimeters (quadricep area). Men given a 600 mg weekly dosage of steroids and no exercise experienced average muscle size increases of 424 square millimeters (tricep area) and 607 square millimeters (quadricep area). Men given a 600 mg weekly dosage of steroids and exercise experienced average muscle size increases of 501 square millimeters (tricep area) and 1174 square millimeters (quadricep area) (Bhasin, 1996).

A study looking at the effects of anabolic steroids on the muscle cells of power lifters found that there are several striking differences between the muscle cells of steroid users and nonusers. The muscle fibers of steroid users, which are composed of a multitude of muscle cells, were found to have larger areas. The muscle fibers of steroid users also had a greater number of nuclei than those of nonusers. Lastly, the muscles of steroid users contained a greater number of developmental proteins, which facilitate muscle growth (Kadi, 1999). These differences arise from a steroid’s ability to increase muscle size, which necessarily increases the rate of muscle growth. In order to grow, the muscle signals surrounding satellite cells to proliferate and bind to the muscle fiber. The binding of satellite cells to the muscle fiber not only increases the thickness of the fiber, but also increases the number of nuclei that it possesses (Sweeney, 2004).

There are a number of health risks associated with steroid use, including increased risk of liver damage. The liver is faced with the task of breaking down or metabolizing testosterone. Steroid use rapidly increases the level of testosterone in the body, especially when large loading doses are administered. The inability of the liver to metabolize all of the synthetic testosterone present in the body can result in liver damage (Kutcher, 2002)

Steroid use also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Steroids have been shown to increase the level of low-density lipoprotein or “bad cholesterol” and decrease the level of high-density lipoprotein, which can lead to a condition known as artherosclerosis (“Steroids,” 2004). Artherosclerosis is a medical condition in which the rate of fat deposition in the arteries is increased. The fat deposits can result in the blockage of blood flow. The blockage of blood flow to the brain and heart can lead to a stroke or heart attack, respectively.

Steroid use also upsets the normal balance of hormones in the body in both male and female athletes (NIDA, 2000). For example, a male athlete taking steroids suddenly and rapidly raises the level of testosterone in his body. In response, the body increases the level of estrogen in the body in an effort to compensate for the hormonal imbalance. In male athletes, steroid use can lead to gynecomastia (breast development), testicular atrophy, decreased sperm production, high pitched voice, increased hair loss, enlargement of the prostate, and impotence (Chyka, 2001). In female athletes, steroid use can lead to a reduction in breast size, facial hair, enlargement of the clitoris, and menstrual irregularities (“Steroids,” 2004).

The disruption of the normal hormone balance in the body can lead to a number of emotional disorders due to the close connection between emotions and hormones. Some emotional disorders associated with steroid use include increased aggressiveness (roid rage), paranoia, anxiety, drastic mood swings, and depression (“Steroids,” 2004). In adolescents, steroid use can have serious and irreversible effects upon the normal growth process. When the amount of sex hormones in the body reaches a certain level, the bones are signaled to stop growing. As a result, adolescents taking steroids can cause their bodies to signal the conclusion of growth prematurely (NIDA, 2000). Lastly, a study conducted by the University of London found that steroid users take longer to make cognitive response than nonusers, and also react more aggressively when presented with an aggressive cue (Bond, 1995).

The high safety risk associated with steroids is one of the main reasons for the imposed ban on its use among both professional and recreational athletes. Despite the abundance of both short and long-term side effects, athletes still continue to abuse steroids out of a desire to win.

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