Body fitness is essential to the welfare of one’s health. In fact, lack thereof compromises one’s medical status, and this could lead to the development of complications such as high blood pressure and obesity. As such, many individuals have resolved to take measures aimed at enhancing their body fitness through natural bodybuilding strategies. However, the utilization of steroids is a universal preference among sportsmen and people who want to improve their fitness. Due to the marketing strategies employed by the steroid manufacturing companies, most people are unaware of the adverse side effects these drugs cause on their health. To enhance their sales, these companies keep the consumers in the dark by pointing out only the positive effects of using their products. According to Smith (734), “deception runs like a red thread throughout all human history.” Therefore, these enterprises are more than willing to disregard the health of the consumers to enhance their success. This paper outlines the erroneous marketing strategies utilized by steroid manufacturers to improve their sales at the expense of the consumer’s medical welfare. It describes the drawbacks of using these drugs to enhance body building as opposed to the natural approach. For a fact, natural bodybuilding is more influential than the utilization of steroids since manufacturers overlook the adverse medical impacts of their consumption to enhance their sales at the expense of the consumer’s health.
The long-term usage of steroids adversely affects the brain of the user thereby causing mental problems. According to Bebawy (174), various studies conducted to reveal the side effects of these drugs have shown that they produce abnormal patterns of testosterone levels in the user’s body. As a result, the users continually engage in violent activities due to the augmented levels of anxiety and constant psychotic tendencies. The Journal of Physiology argues that steroid users are more likely to be dependent on these drugs, and this situation may lead to unhealthy addiction that causes depressions, paranoia, and extreme mood swings (Bennet 4957). In spite of these impacts on one’s psychological health, “the steroid manufacturers do not point out the negative side effects to the users” (Bennet 4957). This scenario compromises their medical welfare as their continuous utilization of these drugs negatively affects their health. As such, natural bodybuilding is the surest way to enhance one’s body fitness without experiencing the side effects of using this drug. Steroid manufacturers need to outline the side effects of their products during the marketing process to avert the development of psychological complications among users.
Steroids have visible side effects to the user’s face, and they may cause eye damage as well. The visible impacts to the user’s face are mainly resulting from the fact that the usage of steroids leads to higher water retention in the body builder’s system, and this might cause them to have a puffy and round face. Additionally, bad breath is a common effect to many user and females have been reported to have experienced facial hair eruptions. Moreover, women under steroids have a higher likelihood of developing a husky voice similar to that of a male. Finally, the development of acne is quite common for steroid users. According to Seam and Anthony (926), “complex eye disorders such as glaucoma and cataracts are known to develop after the long term usage physical enhancement drugs such as steroids.” This change is mainly attributed to the fact that corticosteroids cause permanent eye damage. Nonetheless, the manufacturing companies only advertise the positive impacts of using their products such as enhanced endurance and physical strength. Consequently, they contribute to the deterioration of the user’s health due to the exposure to a wider spectrum of side effects and medical complication. Nonetheless, these challenges are absent in natural body building as it provides a long-term and more efficient solution of fitness.
Steroids cause damage to the hair among male and female users. ”The male patterns of baldness are commonly experienced in both sexes when the users consume the drugs for over a year” (Ericson-Neilsen and Alan 205). This situation is greatly fostered by the fact that steroids facilitate the secretion of dihydrotestosterone that is responsible for the weakening of the hair follicles (Ericson-Neilsen and Alan 205). Consequently, the hair follicles are limited to the production of fine hair which is easily lost after the long term consumption of this drug. On the other hand, natural bodybuilding does not expose an individual to these threats. Instead, it nurtures the development of good health since the individuals feel compelled to eat healthy food substances to keep up with their body demands. Long-term consumption of balanced diets augments the betterment of their physique, and this guarantees a long term muscular body structure as opposed to steroid use. The manufacturer’s action of filtering information from the consumers originates from their inability to acknowledge the threats posed by their products. Bebawy (173) argues that the manufactures point out their benefits that include “relief of postoperative pain, the decrease in postoperative nausea, and a higher overall multi parameter quality of recovery.” As such, one is justified to claim that the manufactures selectively enlighten the patients on the pros of their medication.
The long-term consumption of steroids leads to the development of heart complications. As opposed to natural approaches in body building, using these drugs has complicated side effects that may result in the development of cardiovascular issues. The Journal of neurosurgical anesthesiology reports that the continuous accumulation of cholesterol in the heart region poses a threat to blood circulation and this situation yields the development of high blood pressure (Bebawy 174). Cholesterol buildup in the blood vessels has been reported to augment the risks of getting heart strokes among people using steroids for muscle development and this situation results in death. As a result, steroid users are more likely to experience multiple blood clots in their blood vessel, and this situation compromises their heart condition. In spite of the exposure to these threats, the manufacturers and marketers do not focus on the possibilities of embracing poor health upon the utilization of these drugs. Instead, their marketing strategies are mainly centered on the constructive impacts of utilizing these drugs. Consequently, there is a need to enlighten body builders on the positive effects of using natural bodybuilding approaches to improve the quality and longevity of their lives. Resolving to the faster alternative, steroids, compromises their medical welfare.
Steroid users invariably suffer from stomach disorders due to the effects posed by the drugs. This situation is mainly accredited to the feeling of bloated stomachs caused by the chemical properties of these drugs to the human bodies. As a result, the users continually experience nausea that is later accompanied by vomiting. Traces of blood are contained in the vomit due to the corrosion of the alimentary canal and the stomach lining due to the long term consumption of these drugs (Bennet 4958). The accumulation of stomach acids prompted by the long-term use of steroids leads to the health deterioration of the user due to the degradation of the mucus levels in the stomach lining. On the other hand, natural bodybuilding does not involve the introduction of alien chemical substances to the body to enhance muscle growth. Rather, the constant indulgence in muscle growth activities makes the body system accustomed to these events, therefore, making it more susceptible to continuous and irreversible growth. There are no threats posed to the body system as opposed to the abovementioned method. Consequently, it is evident that the natural bodybuilding methods are more influential to the development of one’s health as opposed to steroid usage.
Short and long term consumption of steroids potentially impairs an individual’s immune functions making them susceptible to disease attacks. According to Seam and Anthony (925), steroid users with lower immune systems are substantially exposed to a wider spectrum of medical complications since their capabilities of fighting diseases is significantly diminished. For instance, they are more likely to develop kidney complications as opposed to natural bodybuilders. This is mainly accredited to the fact that their higher blood pressure makes it more challenging for the kidneys to perform ultrafiltration. Lack of osmotic balance yields the development of kidney complications that the body is unable to combat due to the weak immune system. The presence of this complication poses a significant threat to the survival of an individual. As such, the manufacturers need to prioritize the medical welfare of their consumers when marketing their products to enhance their health. Alternatively, bodybuilders using steroids should resolve to the conventional bodybuilding approach that involves the utilization of natural methods to enhance long-term muscle development.
Natural bodybuilding improves the growth of bones and the overall development of the body system. Significant results in muscle growth take a longer time to mature through natural muscle building as opposed to the utilization of steroids (Bennet 4958). In fact, the latter inhibits the growth of bones, which can lead to lesser height during adulthood among the users. This situation is common among the early adopters of steroids who commence using these drugs during their teenage years or early twenties before they are fully mature. Additionally, they may experience bone pain with the continuous utilization of these drugs to improve their muscle growth. With this in mind, it is worth acknowledging the fact that the long-term usage of steroids has multiple detrimental health effects to the user. Instead of nurturing muscle growth, it exposes the individuals to a wider spectrum of experiencing more body complications. Therefore, manufacturers need to embrace influential marketing strategies when promoting their products since their lack of transparency leads to the deterioration of the health of ignorant users. Therefore, natural bodybuilding should be the most preferred muscle enhancement strategy as it guarantees long-term muscle development without side effects and health complications.
Like any other corporate organization, steroid manufacturers make initiatives that enhance their sales regardless of the results. According to the Journal of neurosurgical anesthesiology, the main reason for most companies being in operation is to make profits from the lowest possible investments (Bebawy 175). In this case, overlooking the side effects of their products and capitalizing on the positive impacts has a positive influence on the nature of the sales made. However, the consumers are unaware of the wider spectrum of threats they are exposed to upon the consumption of these goods. Therefore, their health is compromised due to the partial truth told by the manufacturers. Smith (741) argues that deception can be a risky business since the revelation of the truth in later periods compromises the stability of the enterprise. As such, steroid manufacturers should desist from this marketing gimmicky and make the sale of these products more engaging by informing the consumers of the side effects they would likely experience. The implementation of this strategy would enhance the betterment of the user’s health since they would use the products cautiously as they are aware of their harms. Consequently, natural bodybuilding is the surest way to enhance long-term muscle development while eliminating the possibilities of experiencing health complications.
In conclusion, body fitness is essential to the maintenance of good health. However, people need to be aware of safety measures while seeking the most influential approaches to enhance their muscle development. The best method to improve body development is through natural fitness practices. This situation is mainly attributed to the fact that it ensures the long-term development of the muscles, and it does not have any guaranteed side effects as opposed to the utilization of steroids. Additionally, it promotes the healthy development of organs and therefore improves one’s physical strength and endurance as well as increasing the longevity of their lives. On the contrary, steroids promote the development of short and long-term side effects that compromises the consumer’s medical welfare. Consequently, people ought to express caution when using these products since they pose adverse threats to the users. The manufacturers and marketers also need to embrace corporate ethics when advertising their products. Informing the consumers to be cautious before purchasing the product would yield very important results as it would minimize the cases of ignorant steroid consumption. Therefore, natural bodybuilding is more prominent than the utilization of steroids and consumers need to be cautious before using these products to augment muscle growth.
Works Cited
Smith, David Livingstone. "Natural-Born Liars." Scientific American Mind 16.2 (2005): 734-744. Print.
Bebawy, John Farouk. "Perioperative steroids for peritumoral intracranial edema: a review of mechanisms, efficacy, and side effects." Journal of neurosurgical anesthesiology 24.3 (2012): 173-177. Print.
Ericson-Neilsen, William, and Alan David Kaye. "Steroids: pharmacology, complications, and practice delivery issues." The Ochsner Journal 14.2 (2014): 203-207. Print.
Seam, Nitin, and Anthony F. Suffredini. "Steroids are part of rescue therapy in ARDS patients with refractory hypoxemia: we are not sure." Intensive care medicine 42.5 (2016): 924-927. Print.
Bennet, Laura. "Steroids and antioxidants: a neonatal cocktail for saving your adult heart?" The Journal of Physiology 591.20 (2013): 4957-4958. Print.
