Steroids in College Sports
Anabolic steroids are the most popular illegal substance used in college sports.
In 2002-03, 85 of 105 positive drug test results, done by the NCAA, were for anabolic steroid use. In 2003-04, 46 of 72 positive results were for anabolic steroid use, and in 2004-05, 51 of 106 positive tests were for anabolic steroids.
Since the NCAA implemented its year-round drug-testing program, the drug-use studies have generally shown a decrease in most drug use. If you test positive you, you can’t play for the NCAA for a full-year and loses one of four years of eligibility. If you’re caught a second time, you lose all remaining eligibility and are permanently banned from intercollegiate competition.
Even though anabolic steroids are banned by the NCAA, some college athletes take them anyways, thinking that these drugs will enhance their performance.
If banning steroids and not getting to play aren’t reason enough not to take steroids, here are some things you need to know about.
Student athletes take anabolic steroids thinking that these drugs will enhance their performance. Steroids are the synthetic derivatives of the naturally occurring male anabolic hormone testosterone. The hormone’s anabolic effect helps the body retain dietary protein, which aids in the development of muscles.
But it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. There are some serious side effects, especially for adolescents and young adults.
Some side effects are visible and some are internal. Some are physical and some are psychological.
Physical side effects
Men - Although anabolic steroids are derived from a male sex hormone, men experience a feminization effect and a decrease in normal male sexual function. Definitely not something you want while you’re at college.
- Reduced sperm count
- Impotence
- Development of breasts
- Shrinking of the testicles
- Difficulty or pain while urinating
Women - On the other hand, women often experience a masculinization effect from anabolic steroids, including the following:
- Facial hair growth
- Deepened voice
- Breast reduction
- Menstrual cycle changes
With continued use of anabolic steroids, both sexes can experience the following effects, which range from the merely unsightly to the life endangering. They include:
- Acne
- Bloated appearance
- Rapid weight gain
- Clotting disorders
- Liver damage
- Premature heart attacks and strokes
- Elevated cholesterol levels
- Weakened tendons
Behavioral side effects
There are also behavioral side effects like severe mood swings. You can go through bouts of depression, irritability, feelings of invincibility or outright rage commonly known as roid rage. So not will you only be unattractive with potentially serious health problems, no one will want to be around you.
Long term effects
If you overdose, the effects can be irreversible or undetected. And the effects of steroids stick around way after you stop taking them. Also if anabolic steroids are injected, you can transmit or contract HIV and Hepatitis B through a shared needle. Suddenly running faster and having some big muscles just doesn’t seem worth it. Not only will you have acne and be bloated, you’ll actually be too sick to play sports. The reason you considered steroids in the first place.
This entry was posted on Thursday, June 19th, 2008 at 4:09 pm and is filed under Sports and Drugs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
August 12th, 2008 at 9:13 am
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