Anabolic Steroids
A Brief History Of Anabolic Steroids
Winning Through Doping
The drive to compete-and to win-is as old as humankind. Throughout history, athletes have sought foods and potions to transform their bodies into powerful, well tuned machines.
Greek wrestlers ate huge quantities of meat to build muscle, and Norse warriors (The Berserkers) ate hallucinogenic mushrooms to gear up for battle.
The first competitive athletes believed to be charged with doping (taking drugs and other nonfood substances to improve performance) were swimmers in Amsterdam in the 1860s. Doping, with anything from strychnine and caffeine to cocaine and heroin, spread to other sports over the next several decades.
Enter Anabolic Steroids
The use of anabolic steroids by athletes is relatively new. Testosterone was first synthesized in the 1930's and was introduced into the sporting arena in the 1940's and 1950's.
When the Russian weight lifting team thanks, in part, to synthetic testosterone-walked off with a pile of medals at the 1952 Olympics, an American physician determined that U. S. competitors should have the same advantage.
By 1958 a U.S. pharmaceutical firm had developed anabolic steroids. Although the physician soon realized the drug had unwanted side effects, it was too late to halt its spread into the sports world.
Early users were mainly bodybuilders, weight lifters, football players, and discus, shot put, or javelin throwers-competitors who relied heavily on bulk and strength.
During the 1970's demand grew as athletes in other sports sought the competitive edge that anabolic steroids seemed to provide.
By the 1980's, as non athletes also discovered the body-enhancing properties of steroids, a black market began to flourish for the illegal production and sale of the drugs for nonmedical purposes.
Health Hazards - Raising a Red Flag
Although controlled studies on the long-term outcome of megadosing with anabolic steroids have not been conducted, extensive research on prescribed doses for medical use has documented the potential side effects of the drug, even when taken in small doses.
Moreover, reports by athletes, and observations of attending physicians, parents, and coaches do offer substantial evidence of dangerous side effects.
Some effects, such as rapid weight gain, are easy to see. Some take place internally and may not be evident until it is too late. Some are irreversible.
The Dangers
... to Men
Males who take large doses of anabolic steroids typically experience changes in sexual characteristics. Although derived from a male sex hormone, the drug can trigger a mechanism in the body that can actually shut down the healthy functioning of the male reproductive system. Some possible side effects:
Shrinking of the testicles
Reduced sperm count
Impotence
Baldness
Difficulty or pain in urinating
Development of breasts
Enlarged prostate
... and to Women
Females may experience masculinization as well as other problems:
Growth of facial hair
Changes in or cessation of the menstrual cycle
Enlargement of the clitoris
Deepened voice
Breast reduction
... and to Both Sexes
For both males and females, continued use of anabolic steroids may lead to health conditions ranging from merely irritating to life-threatening. Some effects are:
Acne
Jaundice
Trembling
Swelling of feet or ankles
Bad breath
Reduction in HDL, the good cholesterol
High blood pressure
Liver damage and cancers
Aching joints
Increased chance of injury to tendons, ligaments, and muscles
Books Anabolic Steroids:
Ultimate Research Guide
If you want to learn more about anabolic steroids, or use them in as safe a manner as possible, this book is easy to understand. This is not a book written by a doctors who have never used roids. The author is a user himself.
Anabolic Steroids
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