The Effects on Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids on Individuals

The Effects on Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids on Individuals

Introduction

The following paper is regarding the use and effects of steroids on the human body at individual level. In this paper, the author covered five different research papers and highlighted the key points of these paper by comparing and contrasting the facts that presented in these papers. The focus of the study is on using the Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids. Steroids in sports have been in the news for decades, and they continue to be a significant problem in sports. The term anabolic means that the chemical induces tissue production, or muscle building. Not all steroids are anabolic (muscle building), and steroids of all kinds have significant therapeutic benefits when used properly.

The term steroid includes dozens of different chemical compounds, natural and synthetic, that differ from one another in just a few carbon or hydrogen atoms. The most commonly discussed steroids can be separated into two general groupscorticosteroids and gonadal steroids. Corticosteroids are produced naturally in the adrenal glands (just above the kidneys) and include glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids. Glucocorticoids are widely used as anti-inflammatories and immune system modulators. The glucocorticoid cortisone, in pill form or the injectable form, is used to treat conditions ranging from lupus to asthma to poison ivy. Corticosteroids such as depomedrol are used as injectable treatment for tendinitis or bursitis. Mineralocorticoids help regulate water and electrolyte levels and are not typically used in sports treatment or as performance enhancers.

First Study

The first study selected by the author is written by Pope et. al., (2012) published in Biol Psychiatry. The focus of the study is on the risk factors that are linked with the illicit Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid used by the male weightlifters. The background of the study is that the abuse of AAS always remained an important concern in the public health, which remained studied inadequately. Normally the abusers of AAS always found to be male and weightlifters, but unfortunately the consequences of abusing AAS remain studied poorly.

Therefore, in this research to study the AAS properly, 233 experienced male weightlifters were selected from which 102 male (44%) reported that they continuously using AAS. These respondents were assessed on their childhood and adolescents attributes through clinical interviews and computerized questionnaires. A cross-sectional cohort approach was designed to formally present the recent methodological literature. Anabolic steroid use is banned by all major sports governing bodies, including the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), International Olympic Committee (IOC), National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), National Hockey League (NHL), and Federation International Football Association (FIFA). They are banned both because they give an athlete an unfair competitive advantage and because they can be dangerous to the athlete's health. Even the delivery system of steroids can be dangerous. Injectable steroids require needles, which can pass viruses such as hepatitis and HIV. Oral steroids (pills) can cause liver failure, and anabolic steroids may contribute to liver or brain cancers.

The results of the study reveled that many attributes showed little association with AAS, however, the body image and the ...