Title: Steroids:The Drug of the Narcissist, Athlete, and Loser
1SteroidsThe Drug of the Narcissist, Athlete,
and Loser
2History and Properties
- The abuse of muscle enhancers is said to be
traced back to the ancient Romans. Prevalence in
the use of such drugs suggests it has been
desired since the beginning of competition. The
history of contemporary steroid use by athletes
is believed to have begun in the early half of
the 20th century. Synthetic Testosterone, more
widely known as anabolic steroids, was first
synthesized in the 1930s. - Anabolic pertains to the synthesis in living
organisms of more complex substances from simpler
ones or in general, muscle building.
3Properties
- Steroids are large class of natural compounds
with similar chemical structure. Naturally, in
the body, steroids are released by the adrenal
glands, which are located above the kidneys.
Natural steroids in the body are put into 3
categories. - Corticosteroids- Immune System and inflammatory
response. - Estrogenic steroids-Produced by female sex
organs, may be seen in birth control. - Anabolic steroids- created from testosterone they
have muscle building properties that lead to
severe abuse.
4More Properties
- Steroids attach to the proteins and then travel
through the bloodstream. They may travel to
muscle tissue, but more crucial functions are to - Regulate the metabolism
- immune system
- prevent inflammation
- balance the amount of salt and water in your
body - increase your bodys ability to fight illness and
injuries. - When steroids were initially created, scientists
were oblivious to the androgenic side effects.
After using them to help emaciated patients, male
characteristics began to emerge.
5Mental and Emotional Effects
- ROID RAGE the most commonly acknowledged mental
side effect of steroids is roid rage, the
infamous term for the sudden aggression and
violence associated with steroid use. - Related side effects include
- aggression
- hostility
- depression
- irritability
- mood-swings
- All these manic-like symptoms are likely to lead
to violence and make steroids a very dangerous
drug
6Mental and Emotional Effects
- Other side effects of steroids may include
paranoid jealousy
extreme irritability
delusions
impaired judgment
feelings of invincibility
Adversities may also occur as a result of the
physical side effects. Effects such as the
development of breasts and shrunken testicles on
males, and baldness and deepened voices on women
can all be sources of emotional difficulty.
Embarrassment and depression might occur from
self-esteem issues.
7Statistics of Teenage Use
- While steroid use in teenagers is not commonly
worried about, it is extremely dangerous and has
been a problem for nearly as long as it has been
a problem in adults.
Adolescence involves a lot of pressure and
conformity. Teenagers feel the need to be the
best at everything they attempt, and when they
feel that they cannot be the best at a sport,
they might turn to illegal steroids.
Like other drugs, steroids are not too hard for
teenagers to access. There have been many cases
where adults and trainers have distributed
steroids to athletes to help them increase their
strength and muscle.
8Statistics of Teenage Use
- Steroid use in teenagers has been a huge problem
in recent years. As this graph shows, about 1.5
of teenagers have used steroids some time in
their life. The numbers do not even vary
significantly between ages.
9Statistics of Teenage Use
- While the previous graph shows that steroid use
was never extremely high, another source shows
that teenage use used to be higher and has
decreased recently. According to a recent study
at University of Michigan
The percentage of 8th graders who reported using
steroids at least once in their lives went from a
high of 3.0 in 2000 down to 1.5 in 2007. Among
10th graders, the figure went from 3.5 in 2000
down to 3.0 in 2003, then down to 2.0 in 2005,
and now down to 1.8 in 2007. Among 12th
graders, the decrease was from a high of 4.0 in
2002, to 3.5 in 2003, to 3.4 in 2004, and now
dramatically down to 2.2 in 2007.
10Street Names for Steroids
- Some street names for steroids are as follows
- Deca
- Gym candy
- Juice
- Pumpers
- Stackers
- Weight trainers
- Gear
- Winny
- D-bol
- Sus
- Beef-roids
- Most of these names are because steroids increase
muscle mass.
11Effects on Pregnancy and Reproduction
- For men steroids can cause
- Impotence
- Testicular reduction which leads to them not
functioning - Temporary (or permanent) infertility caused by
low sperm counts - ED
- For women steroids can cause
- Irregular menstrual cycles which can lead to
infertility - Death or retardation of any children
12Legality of Steroids
Anabolic steroids are only legal for medical
uses. They are a controlled substance just like
any other drug. Like other controlled substance
they are illegal to possess or sell unless they
are prescribed. Possession of anabolic steroids
can result in fines and jail time. Steroids are
however legal if needed for medical use for a
large range of conditions and treatments.
13Physical Effects of Steroids
The only positive side effect from Steroids is
increased muscle mass.
Unfortunately the bones can not always support
the bigger bones, just look at this mans hands.
Because of that breaks and fractures are much
more common and when teenagers use them it stunts
bone growth which can lead to weak bones further
on in life. Steroids can also cause horrible
acne, oily skin, sometimes hives.
14More Physical Effects
It can cause heart, kidney, and liver failure
(also jaundice which yellows the skin). The
kidneys cant filter the steroids out of the
blood fast enough and they eventually fail. This
will make steroid users bloated. Other problems
are nausea, vomiting blood, chills, tongue pain,
halitosis, cancer and heart disease. Many
steroid users die early in life because the
steroids weaken their heart so much.
15Physical Effects for Men
It can cause severe penis pain and swelling of
the prostate (which can kill you unless you have
catheter). It causes men to grow breasts and for
their testicles to shrink
For Women
It causes breast reduction, deepening of the
voice, growing facial hair, male pattern
baldness.
16Which is a guy? And which is a girl?
17Contemporary Use In Athletics
- Stories of athletes abusing anabolic steroids
thrive in the media. - Athletes cheat themselves when they decide to use
steroids. - They view them as glorified shortcuts to instant
victory and fame. - 1988 At the Summer Olympics, the worlds fastest
runner, Canadian Ben Johnson, wins a gold medal.
Soon after, he is stripped of his medal and
ousted from the Games after testing positive for
steroids - Ken Caminiti, one-time MVP of the National League
(1996), died of heart failure at the age of
forty-one. Steroids were not directly involved in
his death, but Caminiti had admitted to using
steroids during his MVP-winning season. - 2005, Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants was
tried with allegations of steroid use.
18Contemporary Use (cont.)
- Increasing numbers of young people are casually
using the drug to simply make the team or add a
little buff. - Recent statistics offered by the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS) are
concerning. An HHS study found that up to 12
percent of teenage boys (and more than 2 percent
of teenage girls) are regular users of steroids
or steroidal supplements. - These users seek instant body mass. With the
mentality of musclesuccess, these adolescents
find they are at a loss.
19Medical Use
- After certain types of surgery and cancer, the
patient - experiences loss of muscle tissue. Anabolic
steroids are - used in such cases, with exercise and diet, to
build up - muscle tissue.
- Doses of steroids for medically approved uses
range from - 2.5 mg per day to 400 mg every 4 weeks.
- Anabolic steroid doses approximate the small
amounts of anabolic steroids that would be
produced naturally by the body.
20Abuse In Athletics and Social Aspects
- -Only a single anabolic steroid is recommended at
one time. - Athletes take 8 to 10 times the maximum
recommended dose of each - agent, and often take more than one type at a
time. - -With 8 to 10 times more doses, there can be up
to 200 times the - amount of usual testosterone, which can lead to
extreme androgenic - side effects.People believe they look
- more attractive,
- more successful,
- and
somehow more sociable
21Student A-Bibliography
- "History of Anabolic Steroids."
lthttp//www.anabolicsteroidsguide.com/history-of-a
nabolic-steroid.htmlgt. - "Medical Uses of Steroids." lthttp//www.anabolics
mall.com/roida4a.htmgt. - "Steroids." lthttp//espn.go.com/special/s/drugsand
sports/steroids.htmlgt. - "Steroids." lthttp//www.medicinenet.com/anabolic_s
teroids-oral/article.htmgt. - "Steroids."
- lthttp//www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/ster
oids/index.htmlgt.
22Student B- Bibliography
- Collins, Rick. Anabolic Steroids and the Athlete
the Legal Issues. 22 July 2008 lthttp//mesomorphos
is.com/articles/collins/anabolic-steroids-and-the-
law.htmgt. - "Do Anabolic Steroids Have Any Legitimate Medical
Uses?" Anabolics Mall. 22 July 2008
lthttp//www.anabolicsmall.com/roida4a.htmgt. - "If You Think Women Wont Have Side Effects From
Taking Steroids." 22 July 2008 lthttp//eddiebear.w
ordpress.com/2008/03/31/if-you-think-women-wont-ha
ve-side-effects-from-taking-steroids/gt. - "Steroids." Teen Health Wellness. 22 July 2008
lthttp//www.teenhealthandwellness.com/article/311gt
. - "What are the Risks of Steroid Use?" WiseGeek.
lthttp//www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-risks-of-ste
roid-use.htmgt.
23Student C- Bibliography
- Collins, Rick. "Teens and Testosterone." Steroid
Law. 22 July 2008 lthttp//www.steroidlaw.com/stero
id-law-37.htmlgt. - Dowshen, Steven. "Steroids." Kids' Health. Mar.
2007. Nemours Foundation. 22 July 2008
lthttp//kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/st
eroids.htmlgt. - "Men and Steroids." Steroid Abuse. 22 July 2008
lthttp//www.steroid-abuse.org/psychological-emotio
nal-effects-men.htmgt. - Stocker, Steven. "Overall Teen Drug Use Stays
Level, Use of MDMA and Steroids Increases." NIDA
Notes 15 (2000). 22 July 2008 lthttp//www.drugabus
e.gov/NIDA_Notes/NNVol15N1/Overall.htmlgt.