Widespread use
According to a 1999 National Institute of Drug Abuse survey, steroid use among students is now at its highest point in a decade, with an estimated 479,000 students nationwide, or 2.9 percent, having used the drug by their senior year of high school.
Steroid use has spread like a wildfire to all levels and types of sports. According to espn.com, the size of the black market is as much a mystery as the number of athletes using the drugs. But public health experts say the market is larger -- perhaps far larger -- than the $300 million to $400 million estimate by the U.S. General Accounting Office in 1988, the last time government made an effort to quantify the problem.
While steroids have been used by athletes for at least five decades as a way to gain strength and enhance performance, it was only after Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson tested positive for steroids at the 1988 Olympics that steroid use became what it remains today: one of the most controversial issues in the history of sports.
Possession is illegal
As much as 80% of the steroids used by athletes are obtained on the black market from doctors, pharmacists, trainers, and coaches, and fellow athletes. While some are produced in the U.S., most are smuggled into this country from Mexico, where, unlike the U.S., steroids are available without a prescription, and are of unknown quality and composition. Distribution or possession of steroids with intent to distribute is a federal offense punishable by up to one year in prison and/or a minimum fine of $1,000.
Serious side effects
While steroid use leads to increased lean body mass, strength and muscle definition and decreases the recovery time from exercise, it also can have serious long term side effects (some of which may not be apparent until after a long-time abuser's playing days are over).
Steroids can have effect the following:
Jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes)
Hepatitis
Liver tumor
Cancer
Peliosis hepatitis (blood filled cysts in the liver)
Cardiovascular system
Coronary artery disease
Heart arrhythmias
Decreased HDL (good cholesterol)
Increased LDL (bad cholesterol)
Heart attack
Abnormal blood clotting
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Stroke
Male reproductive system
Decreased testicular size
Sterility
Prostate gland disorders
Increased breast development (Gynecomastia)
Increased nipple size
Changes in sex drive (usually up then down)
Female reproductive system
Amenorrhea (disruption/cessation of menstrual cycle)
Shrinkage of breast tissue
Clitoral enlargement (irreversible)
Deepening of voice (irreversible)
Excessive hair growth (irreversible)
Male pattern baldness (irreversible)
Psychological
Aggression
Anger
Hostility
Irritability
Restlessness
Violence
Paranoia
Hallucinations
Delusions
Depression (often accompanied by suicidal thoughts)
Major mood swings
Males taking steroids can experience the male counterpart to anorexia nervosa, which may be the most dangerous side effect of all
Severe acne
Kidney tumors (rare)
Degeneration of tendons (a common problem due to the tremendous increases in muscle strength and size)
Stunting of growth in children and adolescents
Increased fluid retention (leading to swelling in the face)
Headaches
Dizziness
Nosebleeds
Stomach aches
Urinary and bowel problems
Hair loss
Insomnia
Altered thyroid function
AIDS (sharing dirty needles)
Weakening of the immune system
Needle damage, and
Death.
Warning signs
Is your child using steroids? Here is what to look for:
Large gain of muscle mass over a short period of time (20lbs. of muscle gained over a summer by a high school athlete is usually not the result of weight training alone).
Increased time spent in the gym and a preoccupation with weight training
Dramatic changes in personality (moodiness, aggression, and hostility etc.)
Abnormally large breasts in males (gynecomastia)
Stretch marks (cultaneous striae), especially around the breast area
Increased acne, especially on the back, face, and chest
Facial puffiness due to water retention
Needle marks on the buttocks
Increased blood pressure and heart rate
Reference to steroids in conversation (some of the slang words for steroids include "roids," "juice," "sauce," "slop," "product" and "vitamins").
According to Los Angeles doctor Nick Evans, writing in The Physician and Sports Medicine, the three main warning signs are acne, gynecomastia, and cultaneous striae. The presence of all three, writes Evans, is "diagnostic of steroid use." When accompanied by needle marks or shrunken testicles, he considers steroid use certain.
Testing
Drug testing of athletes is a multi-million dollar business. Testing is performed by taking a urine sample from the athlete and can be extremely accurate if performed by a qualified lab. However, labs do not test for every steroid taken - a new steroid may come out before labs begin testing for it.
Some athletes try to beat the tests by taking diuretics (water pills) or a drug called probenicid, which decreases urine output. Both of these drugs can be detected and are banned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the NCAA.
Some athletes have access to labs. They take steroids and then test themselves to see how quickly the drugs leave their bodies. In this way they can determine when to stop taking a drug in order to test negative.
How long steroids remain in a person's system is quite variable. It depends on the method of use, the length of time taken, the size of the dose and the individual's clearing ability. Generally, injectable steroids may remain detectable for 3 to 4 months while the oral types may remain for only 1 to 4 weeks.
Ignoring the risks
Most users simply believe, naively, that they will not suffer any adverse side effects. In a survey of nearly 200 world class athletes, a slight majority said they would take a magic drug that would guarantee victory in any competition, even if they knew it would kill them in five years. Nearly all said they would be willing to take a banned substance if they were guaranteed to win and not get caught.
Others take steroids to improve their self-esteem. Males may use steroids because, like anorexic women who think of themselves as fat even when they are thin, they see themselves as little and weak even if they are very muscular.
Alternatives to steroids
The alternatives to steroid use are proper nutrition [1], weight and aerobic training and sports injury care. Athletes need to know that they can achieve tremendous results with these methods. Most athletes have.
If you suspect your child is using, or considering using steroids, you need to explain to him that, not only is steroid use illegal, but it is very, very dangerous. Hopefully, he will conclude that it simply isn't worth it.
Links:
[1] https://mail.momsteam.com/alpha/features/nutrition/nutrition_overview.shtml
[2] https://mail.momsteam.com/health-safety/performance-enhancing-drugs/general/what-are-anabolic-steroids-and-how-do-they-work