Psychology
Did you notice those big guys with very big muscles in wrestling, on the beach and at the gym? Have you ever wondered why that is a common physical characteristic of people that are involved in such sporting activities? Or have you thought such physical feature may either be from the normal hard working activities people get involved in at the gym? These are some of the few questions that usually come to our mind if we take a time out to explore how such physical features are being achieved by most sportsmen. The era of performance enhancement drugs (PED) has taken over several sporting activities such as athletes found in major sports like weightlifting, baseball, football. The era of such PED has created a kind of perception whereby people in such games see such as a norm if you are going to be competitive or win any game.
Americans fascination with anabolic steroids has always been a growing major concern in several games earlier listed. One major psychological influence the steroid type has on users is that which relates to the provision of competitive advantage to help athletes to win their games. Most users never actually understand the fact that beyond such competitive advantages that might be associated with the anabolic steroids, there are several medical and psychological side effects that made it dangerous for users. This is what made the drug an illegal drug for non-medical purposes. The fight against the use of anabolic drugs in competitive sports is a popular effort by the governments in reducing the use among athletes so as to help reduce the health hazards found to be associated with the drugs (ESPN.com). We need to understand the nature of anabolic steroids, how it works, and the effects on the human body, health hazards and implication in the community. What are anabolic steroids; these are synthetic derivatives of the naturally occurring male anabolic hormone known as testosterone. These drugs are legally available for patients or individuals only by prescription. The implication of this is that, it is only for medical use. Hence if you want to use such, there must be a medical condition which serves as an indication for the drug. Such conditions are those which cause a loss of lean muscle mass. From this point, we can see that, such drugs are those that help build the muscle mass. Some of such are sold as over-the-counter dietary supplements that many manufacturers always claims are without side effects (www.nyhealth.gov).
We need to understand that it is the abuse of the anabolic steroids that usually causes the most problems found to be associated with it. Most athletes abuse the anabolic steroids simply because of the perception of it increasing his or her competitiveness and performance. Some of them are uninformed or misguided while some are encouraged to use it by their parents or coaches. Some use it because of the need to build lean muscle mass, for promotion of their aggressiveness and increasing body weight. For the purpose of increased responses or results, some athletes do take more than a single type of anabolic steroid. They do this by taking both oral and intramuscular (IM) types of anabolic steroid. In some situations, some athlete will go an extra mile by adding drugs such as stimulants, growth hormone and pain killers (the term called stacking). The simple perception that by bringing drugs of different functional components together creates an enhanced result is one major factor that encourages the abuse of anabolic steroid by some athletes (www.nyhealth.gov).
History of the anabolic steroid abuse
The anabolic steroids were developed in the late 1930s for the management of hypogonadism (a sexual condition causing the male sexual organ testes not to produce adequate or sufficient testosterone hence affectation of the normal growth, development and problem with sexual functioning). This drug was then used to treat delayed puberty and some forms of impotence or causes of wasting of the body which are found to be caused by HIV or other medical conditions (NIH). The non-medical use of the anabolic steroids among athletes dates back to the 1950s (Anderson et al). This was research findings of the committee on sports medicine and fitness of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Their findings also show the drug use to be common among weight lifters and other strength athletes. The study shows the indication for the anabolic steroids by such athletes during this period to be for gain in strength and muscle size beyond those sizes or gains that could be achieved by the rigorous training and dietary plan. This benefit has been found to be more needed in games that are strength dependent unlike those that only require speed and agility.
Since understanding the effects of the anabolic steroids as an illegal performance enhancing drugs, the International Olympic Committee and 625 sports organizations worldwide have adopted the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) code that helps ban 192 drugs that are categorized as performance enhancing substances (American Academy of Orthopedic surgeons). This approach of adoption now made all forms of anabolic steroids as illegal drugs.
The perceived side effects of the anabolic steroids by the 12th graders are found to be falling in recent times. It was around 68.1 percent in 1998 but has now fallen to 56.8 percent (NIH).
The anabolic steroids have a personality influence on users. This is usually manifested in such users as a form of increasing aggressiveness and intensity. These effects also have some forms of external influences which relate more to intense antisocial or psychotic behavior (American Academy of Orthopaedic surgeons).
Mode of action
This is to increase the amount of protein within the cells. The androgenic and virilizing properties possessed by the steroid contribute to the development and maintenance of the androgenic features that tend to characterize the physical effects of the drugs. Such features are that which involves the growth of the vocal cords, testicles and body hair. The growth of the testicles is the primary sexual characteristics possessed by the drug while the growth of hair is the secondary sexual characteristics. The normal male hormone which is known as testosterone have its role manifested during the puberty and adolescence as developmental changes involving the enlargement of penis, testes, voice changes, hair growth of face, axilla and genital areas with increased aggressiveness. The anabolic property of testosterone is related to the growth of muscles, bone, and red blood cells with enhance neural conduction. This steroid hormone works by stimulating the receptor molecules in the muscle cells with subsequent activation and production of proteins. The hormone also prevents the protein degradation (anti catabolic effects) and enhances protein synthesis. This change is what helps to build the muscle. The anabolic steroid also has the anti-catabolic effects which makes it work in relation to the testosterone. With the effects, users tend to possess the ability to train harder and recover faster (Thomas, Fahey). The continuous usage has been noticed to decrease testosterone secretion. This tends to hamper production after stopping the use of the anabolic steroids. Catabolic effects that were stopped with the anti-catabolic effects of anabolic steroids will now start functioning at an enhanced rate, hence making the muscle size that was gained to be lost at a rapid rate.
Side effects of anabolic steroids
This performance enhancing drugs has effects on both sexes. In males the physical side effects noted on those that have abused the drugs are reduced sperm count, impotence, difficulty or pain while urinating. It has also been noted to cause damage to the heart. All those effects are categorized as short term effects while the long term effects are related to liver cancer or disease, development of the breast, and shrinking of the testicles. Females that are using anabolic steroids, masculinization effects may occur in them which are breast reduction & excessive hair growth (short term). The long term effects seen in females that use the drugs for a short period are deepened voice, enlarged clitoris and abnormal menstrual cycles. In athletes that are addicted to the drugs, the following can be seen in both sexes (during short term); acne, fluid retention, rapid weight gain, increased blood pressure & cholesterol level, insomnia, headaches, reduced sexual functioning, increase in muscle size, swelling of feet and ankles, improved healing, improved appetite (CESAR). The long term effects on abuse individual are; blood clotting difficulties, heart attack, cardiovascular, liver and reproductive organ damage, premature heart attacks, stroke, reduced sexual functioning, stunted growth, increased chance of injuring ligaments, tendons and muscles, increase in muscle size.
Addictive nature of the anabolic steroids
The anabolic steroids are usually addictive considering the dependence nature that athletes usually have when they get involved in the use and later stopped. The reason for this is because of the depression that is usually noticed to be common with athletes that stopped the drugs. It has also been found that users may suffer a form of paranoid jealousy, extreme irritability, and delusion (CESAR). Those that use to build their body may also have some form of dependence on the anabolic steroid especially when they stopped the drug and later discovered that there an increase loss of body mass at a faster rate. Such might not like the consequences, especially the physical appearance hence need to continue using so as to ensure the body mass is maintained (Thomas, Fahey).
Since most age groups that are usually involved in sporting activities are the adolescents and young adults, most effects are in the age group. The steroids poses dangers of earlier closure of the growth plates which end up causing shortage of bone (ESPN.com). They also tend to have some form of behavioral problems from the psychological perspective. This is because such individual can go from bouts depression to extreme irritability and to outright aggression (ESPN.com). This is usually called the "roid rage". In recent times, the complications that are found to be associated with the use of anabolic steroid have now been considered to be changing pattern (Anderson et al). The fight against the anabolic steroid use is now targeted at this age group by focusing on different educational programs that helped advocate the hazards that are associated with the steroid use (Anderson et al). Most of all these organization and government bodies are focusing on the medical risks and complication so as to discourage the use of the steroid. At the collegiate and Olympic levels, drug testing programs and subsequent penalties have helped to control the exponential rate of use by Americans. Fighting against the smugglers that usually smuggled the drug into the country also helped in controlling the increasing rate of use among athletes. As we all know, this action is unethical hence should be discouraged. According to the recommendations of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, "The AAOS believes that Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs), such as anabolic steroids and their precursors, should not be used to enhance performance or appearance, and should be banned from use in all sports programs. We recommend that sports-governing bodies continue implementing aggressive drug testing programs to deter and to detect drug use. Relevant sports medicine bodies should continue to implement aggressive drug testing programs to detect their use and impose harsh penalties for those athletes who use them and those individuals or institutions that facilitate their use" (AAOS). We also need to understand that there are ways in which strength can be improved without anabolic steroids. Such include; training safely without using drugs, eating a healthy diet, plenty rest, setting realistic goals, avoiding injuries by playing safely and using protective gear. We all need to understand the fact that we need to WIN SAFELY and not at ALL COSTS.
Work Cited
Anderson et al. Adolescents and Anabolic Steroids: A Subject Review. AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS. Committee on sports medicine and fitness. PEDIATRICS Vol. 99 No. 6 June 1, 1997.
American Physiological Society. "Anabolic Steroids Provide A Competitive Edge In Power Lifting Years After Doping Has Ended." ScienceDaily, 3 Oct. 2008. Web. 4 Dec. 2013.
American academy of orthopaedic surgeons. Position statements. Performing Enhancing Drugs. Public Relations Department. September 2012. Web. 4 December, 2013.
CESAR. Anabolic Steroids. University of MARYLAND. October 29, 2013. Web. 3 December, 2013.
ESPN.com. Anabolic steroids. Drug and sports. Special section. 6, september, 2013. web. 4 December, 2013.
NIH. What are anabolic steroids?. Anabolic Steroid Abuse. Drugs of Abuse. National institute on drug abuse. Web. 3 December, 2013.
Thomas, Fahey. ANABOLIC-ANDROGENIC STEROIDS: Mechanism of Action and Effects on Performance. Encyclopedia of sports medicine and science. 7 March, 1998. Web. 3 December, 2013.
www.nyhealth.gov. Anabolic Steroids and Sports: Winning at any Cost. Department of health. October 2008. Web. 4 December, 2013.
