The Steroids Epidemic Essay - 999 Words

What is the first thing that comes to mind when steroids are discussed? Is it positive? Negative? What comes to mind for me is the vision of an extremely large man with bulging muscles like we see in bodybuilding competitions. These types of images are becoming extremely commonplace in society today, and also increasingly disturbing considering just a few short years ago the ‘bodybuilder’s body’ was just a niche in the sports world. But what drove this movement? There is no way to possibly limit this phenomenon into one single cause, but rather I can hazard a guess as to what I believe may be at the root of this ideal change. America, since the time it was founded, has grown increasingly confident in itself. This mindset has†¦show more content†¦They are abused by both athletes and non-athletes in an attempt to â€Å"enhance performance and/or physical appearance† (â€Å"NIDA InfoFacts: Steroids (Anabolic-Androgenic)†, 2009). Steroids, typic ally taken orally or by injection, are used in â€Å"cycles† where a user takes steroids for a period of time, then stops for another length of time and then the pattern continues. Steroids are considered very dangerous, fickle substances that have the potential to mess up the user’s bodily functions if care is not taken while on them. Steroids come with three different types of risks/side effects that include: mental health, addictive potential and physical dangers. Steroids have immediate effects on the brain of a user as soon as they begin taking them. As soon as steroids are introduced into the user’s system, they â€Å"[bind to the] androgen (male sex hormone) and estrogen (female sex hormone) receptors on the surface of a cell.† Studies have suggested that â€Å"steroids may contribute to psychiatric dysfunction, paranoid jealousy, extreme irritability, delusions, and impaired judgment stemming from feelings of invincibility† (â€Å"NIDA Inf oFacts: Steroids (Anabolic-Androgenic)†, 2009). These mental side effects also contribute to the growing narcissistic nature of steroid users, where they feel invincible, that no one is better than them, orShow MoreRelatedThe Increasing Epidemic of Steroids621 Words   |  3 Pages Steroids As the popularity of sports continues to increase in society, so has the use of performance enhancing drugs, primarily anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids increase the amount of testosterone in the body which allows for increased muscular development. These drugs have been known to be used in all kinds of different sports. Athletes will use these drugs to try to please fans, receive a large contract, and to try to keep up with the players who are already using these drugs. This is creatingRead MoreEssay on The Epidemic of Steroid Abuse in America1711 Words   |  7 PagesThe Epidemic of Steroid Abuse in America We as a people are preoccupied with the notion of greatness. Our role models are athletes, actors and actresses, and other figures in the public eye. Many of us often desire to be better off than our current state; to look better, to be in better shape, etc†¦ We compete with each other for jobs, for mates, for grades, for parking spots, and in sporting activities. This competitive nature is a way of life, especially in sporting activities, often learnedRead MoreIn The August 8Th And 15Th Issue Of The New Yorker, Mark1463 Words   |  6 Pagesbeing attacked. With over a half of million people coming to Rio De Janiero for the games one questioned struggled to be answered. Olympics organizers were faced with a challenge on how to keep both athletes and tourist safe and healthy from a major epidemic. Typically, with a high tourist rates come with the risk of injuries or infection. The Zika virus was one that many was not sure how to control and keep the safety of everyone first. The Zika virus is spread through infected mosquitos, pregnant mothersRead MorePrimary Factors Of Visceral Fat Deposition And Cardiometabolic Outcomes740 Words   |  3 Pagesinducing insulin resistance in the liver and in the skeletal muscle.74 Other possibly important key players are gonadal steroids. Indeed, very informative metabolic studies conducted in transsexual subjects have documented the remarkable influence of steroid hormones on body fat distribution and related cardiometabolic risk. Female to male transsexual patients receiving appropriate steroid hormone replacement therapy were found to lose gluteal- femoral fat and gain visceral adipose tissue, whereas theRead MoreThe Effects Of Drug Abuse On Sports779 Words   |  4 Pagesin sports. I have found many topics to talk about and the first one I have chosen to write about is steroids in sports. I wanted to choose this topic because I’m a very athletic person myself and I thought that this topic is perfect for me, I found my research on www.health.ny.gov/publications/1210/ and from here this is how I got all my information from. Many athletes now a days are taking steroids, why is that? Is it to make a squad, or impress a member of the opposite sex? There really isn tRead MoreEssay On Server Acute Respiratory Syndrome996 Words   |  4 Pagesunknown to many scientists occurred. The epidemic’s origin was in Guangdong province of southern China in 2002, where the first cases of SARS are recorded. SARS is classed as a global health threat by the World Health Organization and in 2003; an epidemic killed approximately 774 people in the countries of Canada, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Singapore, Thailand and the United Kingdom before it was successfully contained. (Who.int, 2017) This is due to the effective mode of transmission used by the virusRead MoreObesity in America909 Words   |  4 Pagesattention as the cause for American obesity, there are certainly many more issues with the food we eat everyday other than it being too sweet. Livestock are injected with hormones and steroids to produce bigger and â€Å"better† meat. Almost all American beef is injected with steroids; commonly 6 different anabolic steroids are used in an individual cow and another variety of hormones and antibiotics. While it is impossible to narrow down the exact cause, studies have shown that when pregnant women ateRead MoreWhat Steroids Can Do To Your Body781 Words   |  3 Pagesof competition. Nowadays, cheating has become an epidemic that is being spread in all sorts of forms such as winning, looks, and even school. People often feel inadequate when they cannot live up to standards set by a mainstream society. People look to things that they believe are quick fixes to their problem. Often times people come to the conclusion that steroids is this quick fix that will help them get out of the dilemma that they are in. Steroids are a tool that helps enhances the body’s rateRead More The Use of Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports Essay1148 Words   |  5 Pagesof the development of anaboli c steroids: a group of powerful synthetic chemical compounds that resemble the natural male sex hormones (Schwarzenneger 722). Anabolic steroids were first developed in the 1930s as a therapeutic drug to treat growth hormone replacement in deficient children, menopausal symptoms, impotence, and the retardation of the effects of aging by stimulating the rate of synthesis of protein molecules (Biology 121 Web Project 1). These steroids are a simulated testosteroneRead MoreSteroids and Their Affects on the Human Body Essay1201 Words   |  5 PagesSteroids and Their Affects On The Human Body Drugs have been used in sports almost as long as sports themselves have been around. The ancient Incas discovered that the ashes from burned leaves of the Coca tree gave the people great stores of energy, and made sleep unnecessary for hours or even days, it was later discovered to be the stimulant cocaine. They would take it before long hunts, battles, and even found it useful in ancient sport competitions. It wasnt until 1886 that the first drug-related