The Epidemic of Steroid Abuse in America Essay -- Athletic Athletes Sp

The 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 learned as a child and built upon throughout adulthood. But where do you draw the line? At what point do the â€Å"costs† of winning or being â€Å"better† outweigh the benefits? Maybe it’s too much when you start putting your own health in serious jeopardy just to look better or run faster. The use of steroids, other than for medical purposes, has extremely negative effects on one’s health. Nonetheless the use of steroids, to enhance athletic performance and increase muscle mass, is on the rise. There needs to be mandatory steroid testing in all professional, and where applicable, amateur sports. Steroid testing is a good as start as any to help curb steroid abuse. Anabolic-Androgenic steroids, often solely called anabolic steroids, are: â€Å"chemicals that act like hormones--substances normally in your body that regulate bodily functions† (Kowalski 1). They are synthetic substances, meaning man-made, which have two functions: the anabolic effect which causes an increase in the growth of muscle mass and the androgenic effect which causes, or increases, the development of male sexual characteristics. It’s the anobolic effect that most steroid users, or abusers, are after. Steroid abusers take steroids for a couple of different reasons.... ...pac.library.csupomona.edu/>. Sherman, William. â€Å"Growing Nightmare of Steroid Abuse: Athletes’ Cocktail Big in Nation’sGyms.† Daily News (New York). 28 July 2002, Sports Final ed.: p. 4. Lexis Nexis 4 Nov. 2002. . United States. Consumer Affairs, Tourism and Foreign Commerce Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. Hearing. Washington D.C.: Senate Office Building, 2002. Lexis Nexis 4 Nov. 2002. . Verducci, Tom. â€Å"Totally Juiced.† Sports Illustrated. 3 June 2002, V. 26: No. 93. Wilson Web Article Index 4 Nov. 2002. . Yesalis, Charles E., and Virginia S. Cowart. The Steroids Game. Illinois: Human Kinetics, 1998.