Athlete Steroid Use

 The world of sports has been struggling today with the accusations of steroid usage against some of the biggest names in athletics. In a recently concluded study on Steroid Usage and Behavior, it was revealed that the use of steroids among high school athletes is at an all-time high. This is the reason why fears have been raised in minds of the concerned officials that the temptation to take steroids could spiral with athletes in a perpetual aim to become faster, stronger, and bigger.

The recent charges of rampant steroid abuse among many athletes have overshadowed many athletic events and the trend is not expected to slow down. This is primarily because a big majority of existing and budding athletes do not find any concern to make use of them to enhance performance. The main reasons behind athletes taking these drugs are unrealistic expectations of parents and coaches and uninformed decision taken by athletes to accept steroids as effective mediums to stay ahead of the competition.

Nowadays, medical experts are more concerned with impact of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) on the younger users as it is always better to educate the budding athletes along with the existing ones. The fact that adolescents are more vulnerable to steroids is a cause of great concern among all members of athletics community.

Steroids or anabolic steroids (anabolic-androgenic steroids -AAS) are synthetic derivatives of testosterone, a naturally occurring male anabolic hormone. The natural androgenic effects of testosterone include triggering of the maturity levels of the male reproductive system in the age of puberty. The triggering includes the growth of conditions such as voice deepening, growth of body hair, and development of body muscles. The anabolic effect of this hormone is to help in the retention of dietary protein that is useful for muscle development.

An athlete on steroids gets an opportunity to get more of this hormone in order to enhance body performance and gain muscle mass. Athletes make use of anabolic steroids as they help them reduce fatigue levels to a considerable extent, this help them perform tirelessly for long time durations without any exertion. Steroids offer a unique ability to athletes by acting as a buffer when lactic acid is produced during physical exertion.

Athletes on steroids run faster as their endurance capacity is almost doubled or tripled after using AAS. It is medically proven that stacking (combination of two or more steroids at the same time) of steroids can help an athlete achieve dramatic effects without looking unreal. The fact that steroids increase muscle growth by enhancing protein synthesis along with a sizeable contribution to metabolic activities is one of the biggest reasons why more and more athletes are making use of steroids in today’s times. Steroids are also known for their untraceable nature as they have a water based composition and can easily pass through the body in just a matter of two days.

However, one should remember that fact that AAS do not pose any kind of danger to an individual on steroids unless they (steroids) are abused or misused. It should always be noted that anything in moderation is not bad at all and the same also applies to usage of steroids. Many “obsessed” athletes have been named in the recent past that are more than willing to go with steroids beyond their physical capabilities in order to accomplish athletic endeavors. An athlete on steroids should not be taking over-doses with an expectation to get a well-toned body in a day’s time. It must be remembered that “Great bodies are not built overnight”. Perseverance and dedicated efforts need to be exhibited by an athlete before expecting his body to show results.

It is also advisable for an athlete keen to make use of steroids to seek information on steroid usage, tips, precautions, dosage, positive and side-effects from his doctor so that there is a flow of effective communication between him and his doctor. Any doubts, coming to the mind, must be settled before usage of the steroids. It is highly advisable for an athlete to take legal and quality steroids rather than putting his life and career at stake with illegal and sub-standard steroid products. In order to reap optimum benefits, an athlete must seek medical advice before usage of any kind of steroids.

If the concerned athlete has an allergy, the same should be disclosed to get the right opinion from the doctor. It should be noted that once approved by the doctor, an athlete can take steroids on a cycle. Details about the steroid cycle can be obtained from the doctor. It is very important to remember that excess of steroids cannot help an athlete gain instant results and would only be damaging his body besides putting his life at risk.

Once the steroid cycle has been completed, an anti-estrogen can be taken to help avoid excess levels of estrogens building after reduction of testosterone in the body. This can help an athlete on steroids to stay away from any likely side-effects arising from usage of steroids.

In a nutshell, it will not be say that the usage of steroids is not bad unless and until they are abused or misused. If taken in the right spirit and under qualified guidance, AAS can help athletes reap optimum benefits from their usage.

It will not be wrong to say that steroids do offer unique opportunity to its users but the onus of right usage still lies with the users. If that can be done, steroids can benefit.

Athletes who expect to get some value from AAS must make the best use of steroids in order to get real benefits from them. Once that can be done, attaining dramatic results over a period of time is not a dream any more. In short, steroids can make the difference when it comes to enhancing muscle mass and performance but a cautious and informed approach towards steroids is still required.