Steroids

"I'm sick, and I'm scared. Ninety percent of the athletes I

know are on the stuff. We're not born to be 300 pounds

or jump 30 feet. But all the time I was taking steroids,

I knew they were making me play better. I became very

violent on the field and off. I did things only crazy

people do. Now look at me. My hair's gone, I wobble

when I walk and have to hold on to someone for support,

and I have trouble remembering things. My last wish is that no one else ever dies this way."Ð'â„-

Lyle Alzado (1949-1992), NFL Football Player-

The History of Steroids

These are some of the last words of one of footballs all time intense and intimidating players. He was one of many famous athlete's who has died from the usage of anabolic steroids. In order to trace the history and development of anabolic steroids from their beginning to their present day form, we first need to look back towards ancient times, when it was known that the testicles were required for both the development and maintenance of male sexual characteristics.

The force to contend and to win is as old as humankind and throughout history. Athletes have sought foods and potions to transform their bodies into powerful, well tuned machines. The Greek wrestlers ate huge quantities of meat to build muscle, and Norse warriors or as they are better known as "The Berserkers," ate hallucinogenic mushrooms to gear up for battle (Fabing, Nov.1956.)

The first competitive athletes believed to be charged with doping or taking drugs and other nonfood substances to improve performance were swimmers in Amsterdam in the 1860s. They were doping, with anything from strychnine,

caffeine, cocaine, and heroin in order to get the competitive edge that eventually spread out to other sports over the next several decades, but the use of anabolic steroids by athletes in today's society is relatively new and has gotten media attention only when a famous individual dies, or is dying because the use of steroids.

Testosterone was first synthesized in the 1930's and was introduced into the sporting arena in the 1940's and 1950's. At the 1952 Olympics the Russian weight lifting team walked off with a pile of gold medals due to the use of synthetic testosterone. By 1958 a U.S. pharmaceutical firm had developed anabolic steroids; although the physician soon realized the drug had unwanted side effects, and it was too late to halt its spread into the sports world.

What are Anabolic Steroids?

Anabolic steroids are a class of natural and synthetic steroid hormones that promote cell growth and division, resulting in growth of several types of tissues, especially muscle and bone. Different anabolic steroids have varying combinations of androgenic and anabolic properties and are referred to in medical texts as Anabolic/Androgenic Steroids (AAS). Testosterone is the best known natural anabolic steroid, as well as the best known natural androgen. Anabolic steroids are often used by athletes as performance enhancing substances.

Anabolic steroids can be taken orally, injected intramuscularly, or rubbed on the skin when in the form of gels or creams. These drugs are often used in patterns called cycling, which involves taking multiple doses of steroids over a specific period of time, stopping for a period, and starting again. Users also frequently combine several different types of steroids in a process known as stacking. By doing this, users believe that the different steroids will interact to produce an effect on muscle size that is greater than the effects of using each drug individually. Both males and females have testosterone produced in their bodies: males in the testes, and females in the ovaries and other tissues.

Some of the common street (slang) names for anabolic steroids include Arnolds, gym candy, pumpers, roids, stackers, weight trainers, and juice.

Which is better Oral or Injectable Steroids?

Anabolic steroids can be taken orally or injected, but taken differently can cause different side effect. In the case of taking steroids orally they can be detected in the body for several weeks after a person stops taking them. Athletes usually experiment with oral anabolic at first. They are convenient to store and use, but cause severe side effects to the liver in addition to the side effects caused by all anabolic. Dose taking steroid orally cause liver damage? On the website MedicineNet.com it states "WARNING: Rarely, this drug has caused serious, sometimes life-threatening liver problems including liver failure, liver cysts and liver tumors. Notify your doctor promptly if you have any early signs of liver problems such as yellowing of the eyes or skin, dark urine, unusual fatigue, or persistent stomach/abdominal pain. Additionally, this drug may affect your cholesterol and may increase the likelihood of heart or blood vessel problems."

Some athletes think that this warning is questionable of whether or not oral steroids cause liver damage. An athlete will usually continue to use oral drugs even when he or she begins using injectable steroids. Some use orals to make it easier to escape drug detection tests: Most oral anabolic steroids do not remain in the body as long as injectables. As an event approaches, an athlete may use shorter duration oral steroids, and then stop using four to six weeks before the event so that the urine will be steroid free for urine testing.

The injectable anabolic steroids are injected into muscle tissue, not into the veins. They are slowly released from the muscles into the rest of the body, and may be detectable for months after last use. Chemically, the injectable steroids are better tolerated by the body than the oral steroids. However, injection of any substance creates its own risks and health problems. Injecting a drug bypasses the body's natural defense mechanisms against poisoning and infection. If a person accidentally swallows too much of a drug, he or she may vomit before enough has been absorbed to cause death. If a person inhales poisonous smoke or fumes, the coughing reflex may prevent poisoning. But if a person injects too much of a drug, there is no easy way to get it back out of the body.

When injections are given in a doctor's office or at the hospital, great care is taken to sterilize the skin before the drug is given. Diabetics