You’ve probably heard the buzz about steroids over the past few years. This illegal performance-enhancing drug has been in the news so much recently, it’s become a running joke on late night talk shows. There’s also been an entire industry built around trying to determine just how many athletes are taking steroids. The number is believed to be in the thousands, with some doctors estimating the numbers much higher. So, is there really such a thing as illegal steroids, and if so, why are they illegal for professional athletes to use?
Steroids are a steroid-like substance that is taken to enhance a person’s ability to increase muscle mass. They have been in use for decades, but are only now being used more by professional athletes. Athletes use them to build muscle strength, endurance, and to promote an increased ability to recover from injury. But, there are many questions about the use of steroids and whether or not they should be legal for athletes to use.
The first and most important question is whether or not steroids are actually a legal form of performance-enhancing drug. It has long been understood that professional athletes engaged in significant cheating in order to gain an edge in their sport. Steroid use is not approved by the FDA or any other medical governing body, and some doctors openly promote their use to patients. While legal use is common for professional athletes engaged in contact sports like football, wrestling, boxing, and gymnastics, they are illegal for college athletes.
Another big question is what sort of negative health effects can steroids cause. Most people engage in extensive steroid use without consequences. Overuse causes joint pain, heart disease, and an increased risk of cancer. The use of steroids also increases the possibility of severe allergies. If you use steroids for extended periods of time, you can suffer from liver problems and inflammation. Steroids may also cause depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, and autoimmune diseases like diabetes and HIV/AIDS.
What about athletes using steroids like Lydostomine? This steroid was banned by the FDA in 2021 due to the fact that serious side effects were observed when Lydostomine was used in competitive athletics. Athletes started avoiding this drug, and there have been very few recent cases reported in which this drug was used. However, some other drugs that are considered to be relatively safe when used by athletes are: testosterone boosters, corticosteroids, testosterone discriptive agents, Ephedra, and human growth hormone (HGH).
Some argue that if these substances are deemed unsafe, then what is the point of legal steroids use? They argue that because no real medical studies have been done on their long-term use, it is impossible to know whether or not they are dangerous. Many athletes will continue to use these drugs despite the risk, because they are required to do so under the rules of their sport. Because many athletes choose to take banned substances in order to enhance their performance, it is clear that the issue of illegal steroid use is much more serious than many people realize.
Kent is a school teacher who is passionate about others. With that, he sees to it that he volunteers to local communities in helping the needy. He also help organize some charities and attends forums.