Steroids and Other Performance Enhancers Essay - 1191 Words

The issue over steroids and other performance enhancer drugs has been a recent topic in the sports world. The debate over whether or not to punish those who have been caught using has been a major topic recently, as well as the legalization of these drugs. When arising the question of whether or not to legalize steroids, many positive and negative factors are brought to the table, and in effect could change various aspects of our normal day lives. Anabolic steroids are a class of natural and synthetic hormones that promote cell growth and division, resulting in growth of muscle tissue and sometimes bone size and strength. The best known natural anabolic steroid is testosterone, which is contained in many of the steroids†¦show more content†¦Other non anabolic steroids can be used for many beneficial things and can be found in medicines that are used to treat osteoporosis, weight loss, and in anti-inflammatory painkillers. It can even be found in the most common medicines such as cough syrup (A Guide for Understanding Steroids and Related Substances). Prior to the 1990’s steroids in sports wasn’t a major issue but they have quickly been a hot topic in the world of sports. The most common athletes that are suspected of using anabolic steroids are bodybuilders, track and field athletes, cyclists, and the most common throughout the world today, professional baseball players (Anabolic Steroids-Definition). The most newsworthy player that has been involved in the steroid issue is home-run record holder Barry Bonds. On August 8, 2007 Barry Bonds surpassed the great Hank Aaron when he hit his 756th home run of his career making him the new â€Å"Home-Run King†. However, he was fighting charges off and on for four years, from 2003 to 2007. When being interviewed by The Baltimore Sun on June 1, 2003, he told them â€Å"I don’t know BALCO, dude,† (Barry Bonds Steroid Timeline) where BALCO is an acronym for Bay Area Labo ratory Cooperative, the place accused of supplying steroids to Mr. Bonds as well as many other professionalShow MoreRelatedDrugs Should Be Banned For Professional Sports1211 Words   |  5 Pagesprofessional athletes say that they would take performance enhancing drugs if they didn’t have a chance of getting caught. Performance enhancing drugs, or PEDs, or steroids, have been around since 776 BC when the Greeks would use them to improve their performance in the Olympic Games. During World War II, the Germans, including Hitler, would take steroids to make themselves stronger and more aggressive. The Americans, British, and Japanese also began to use steroids during World War II shortly after GermanyRead MorePerformance Enhancing Drugs For Sports Essay1514 Words   |  7 Pages Performance-Enhancing Drugs in Sports A tremendously large problem in sports is whether or not athletes should be able to use performance enhancing drugs. To most people, it doesn t make any sense for athletes to be using them. They have to know what affect it has on their body not only physically, but also mentally. Around the early 2000’s is when all this starting coming up and it has made a dramatic impact on the sports world. The few people who want performance-enhancing drugs in sportsRead MoreEssay about Steroids in Sports: Right or Wrong?947 Words   |  4 PagesSteroids in Sports, Right or Wrong? â€Å"We have to make some radical move to get the attention of everyone. Cheaters cant win and steroids have put us in the position that its OK to cheat.† (Lou Brock). Steroids in professional sports has became a major issue and has yet to be justified. Steroids boost the intensity of the game and provide the athletes with more agility and skill to play the game, but should it be fair to allow them? This would give some players an advantage in their sport overRead MoreEssay about Professional Athletes and Enhacer Drugs1338 Words   |  6 PagesDid you know that 95% of professional athletes take enhancer drugs? There are many people in the NFL (National Football League) and MLB (Major League Baseball) that take more drugs than any other sport. I hate how athletes today take enhancement drugs to make them better in sports. (The use of performance-enhancing drugs is becoming relatively mainstream. Approximately 3 million people in the United States have used anabolic steroids (Silver 2001), with usage rates as high as 12% among young menRead MoreThe Use of Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports Today1583 Words   |  6 Pages Performance enhancers are very prominent in professional sports today. A lot of players are facing suspensions and other penalties for using them. The sport that gets scrutinized the most for this is Baseball. Many former users in the MLB (or formally the NABBP) have come out saying that they were using these drugs while playing. Some of these players are Jorge Sosa, Antonio Bastardo, and the famous Alex Rodriguez. Although these drugs have been prohibited, players are still finding ways aroundRead More Steroids In Sport Essay695 Words   |  3 PagesFrom sunrise to sundown they practice everyday to perfect their game.Then there are those who take an alternative route. Now athle tes are taking performance enhancers such as creatine, androstenedione and worst of all, anabolic steroids.Steroids are chemicals that act like hormones (substances in your body that regulate bodily functions). Anabolic steroids are the ones that are abused to build muscle mass or to make your workout longer. They are chemicals of artificial testosterone, which is a maleRead MoreThe Negative Effects of Steroid Use754 Words   |  3 PagesSteroids can affect an athlete’s physical health. Developing breasts from steroid use is very common. Breasts develop because when high doses of steroids are used for prolonged periods, they shut down certain hormones such as testosterone. Studies show that estrogen is what causes breast tissue growth; progesterone needs to be available in order to keep breast size down. Shrunken testicles can also occur because when a person uses steroids, they introduce a new hormone from outside their body atRead MoreThe Ethics of Steroid Use in the Olymp ics Essay examples904 Words   |  4 Pagesthere are records of attempts to increase testosterone levels (â€Å"Steroid Abuse in Sports†). Ancient Greek wrestlers ate vast amounts of meat to gain muscle mass, and Norse â€Å"Berserker† warriors took hallucinogenic mushrooms before battle. The first competitive athletes to be charged for doping, however, were swimmers in 1860s Amsterdam. Doping of all kinds, from caffeine to cocaine to anabolics quickly spread to other sports (â€Å"Anabolic Steroids, a Brief History†). Artificial testosterone was first synthesizedRead MoreDo People Understand The Harmful Effects Of Performance?712 Words   |  3 Pagesharmful effects of performance enhancers like steroids, stimulants, relaxants, diuretics, and painkillers have on athletes? Body 1. Need step: Performance enhancers of any kind can be a detriment not only to an athlete’s health, but also to their careers. HEALTH- Athletes start to question their credibility and ability to perform, which leads them to pursue paths they wouldn’t otherwise pursue. There are negative, long-term effects that come along with taking performance enhancers such as: growth effectsRead MoreThe Pitfalls Of High School Sports Essay1508 Words   |  7 Pagessports and perform well is immense. There is the pressure from coaches, teammates, and others to succeed. The futures of the athletes are at stake. They play for the chance of scholarships and to continue their childhood dreams. This immense pressure is very draining on the teenagers. The pressure for them to do well in sports leads to them suffering in other parts of their lives. The young adults miss out on other activities in high school because they are so consumed in their sport. The extreme focus