STERIOD USE IN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND ATLETHICS

Steriod Use in high school students and atlethics

Steriod Use in high school students and atlethics

Introduction

Anabolic steroids, more properly called “anabolic-androgenic steroids” or “AAS” are testosterone or testosterone-like synthetic drugs that have both anabolic (muscle-building) and androgenic (male hormone) properties. Athletes take these drugs for their anabolic effects, but it is usually the androgenic expression that is responsible for their adverse reactions. It is likely that they were first introduced to athletics in the 1950's in the former Soviet Union and have been present on the sports scene ever since. In his 2004 State of the Union speech, President Bush sounded a clarion call regarding the epidemic of anabolic steroids in the United States(Appenzeller & Appenzeller 2008).

The use of performance-enhancing drugs like steroids . . . sends the wrong message-that there are shortcuts to accomplishments, and that performance is more important than character. So . . . get tough and get rid of steroids now. According to national surveys, such as the Monitoring the Future Study1 the use of anabolic steroids among high school students has been steadily increasing. Additional studies have also demonstrated increasing usage patterns in adolescents with rates of AAS use ranging from 1-6%.(Blumenthal 2005) Due to their inherent insecurities and emotional immaturity; teenagers are especially vulnerable to the allure of anabolic steroids. A recent study revealed that 30% of adolescent girls and boys reported thinking frequently about wanting more defined muscles3. Unfortunately adolescents' physical immaturity may also make them more susceptible to the adverse effects of anabolic steroids.

Although the main focus of drug testing has been on elite athletes in the Olympic Games, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and professional sports, studies demonstrate that patterns of drug use are often established well before an athlete enrolls in college. The NCAA conducts a quadrennial survey of drug use and abuse habits of college student-athletes that involves more than 20,000 student-athletes nationwide. One of the items surveyed in the 2005 edition was the age at which anabolic steroid users began using these drugs. According to the survey, 55% began using anabolic steroids in either high school or junior high school4. It is apparent from this information that effective programs are needed at the high school level. These findings are similar to Dr. Green's analysis of the1997 NCAA survey that found 52% of college anabolic steroid users had begun in junior high or high school. (Duncan 2004) 

Steroids

Drugs commonly referred to as "steroids" are classified as anabolic (or anabolic-androgenic) and corticosteroids. Corticosteroids, such as cortisone, are drugs that doctors typically prescribe to help control inflammation in the body. They're often used to help control conditions like asthma and lupus. They're not the same as the anabolic steroids that receive so much media attention for their use by some athletes and bodybuilders. (Yesalis Courson 2000)

Anabolic steroids are synthetic hormones that can boost the body's ability to produce muscle and prevent muscle breakdown. Some athletes take steroids in the hopes that they will improve their ability to run faster, hit farther, lift heavier weights, jump higher, or have more endurance. In the United States, it is against the law to use anabolic steroids without a ...