User talk:Eyarian

"There are no free rides in sports." Sports make the talented athletes look great and the mediocre athletes look bad. Athletes need to train and outwork other athletes in order to succeed in sports. Many athletes wish for greatness in their sport, but do not want to put in the time and work. Many of the athletes take shortcuts to become great and famous in their sport. Steroids ruin sports. In 1931, a scientist, named Adolf Butenandt, isolated the male hormone androstenone, a form of steroid. Later in 1934, Leopold Ruzicka synthesized the androstenone hormone. After these discoveries, scientist discovered a more powerful hormone in the body and named it testosterone. In 1939, Butenandt Ruzicka received the Nobel Peace Prize for their discovery and synthesis of androstenone (Anabolic Steroids, A Brief History). Steroids can be classified as the synthetic derivatives of the naturally occurring male anabolic hormone testosterone. Males and females have naturally occurring amounts of testosterone in their bodies (“Steroids” Encyclopedia Britannia 2002 ed.). Steroids can be classified into three types androgenic, anabolic, and corticosteroids. Each type of steroid has a different affect on an athlete, but all of them have side effects. All types of steroids are taken in cycles. Athletes take steroids in cycles, which involve the athlete taking steroids for three weeks, stopping, and then starting again. Athletes repeat cycles many times. The two illegal steroids in sports include androgenic and anabolic substances (Anabolic Steroids). Androgenic steroids occur in equal amounts in males and females (Steroids). Androgenic steroids cause males voices to deepen and body hair during puberty. Androgenic steroids commonly combine with anabolic steroids making anabolic-androgenic steroids. Athletes mainly take anabolic-androgenic steroids (Anabolic Steroids). The steroid helps retain dietary protein. Anabolic-androgenic steroids help in the development of muscles. Anabolic-androgenic steroids cause increase muscle mass and strength (Schmidt C6). Every sport has strict rules banning the use of steroids. Also, the government has laws restricting many aspects of steroids other than use. The United States government has strict laws involving the transporting, using, possessing, and selling of steroids in the United States. In 1990, the government put into place the Anabolic Steroids Control Act. This act put Steroids into the same class as narcotic painkillers and barbiturates by making them a Schedule III substance. Also, the law made possessing steroids with the intent to sell them punishable for up to five years in prison and major fines. Every state has the ability to set it's own laws towards steroids. Now, law enforcement has the right to monitor chat rooms on the Internet, as well as website claiming to sell steroids. In 1988, the United States made a law against the trafficking of steroids. Many athletes use steroids even though they know the laws against steroids (United States Department of Justice). Both males and females use steroids to get an advantage in sports. Females use steroids are different reasons then males. Steroids have different affects on females than males. Females are more likely to overdose on steroids because they use as much of a steroid as a male and a female’s body cannot function with too much testosterone in their system. Females can suffer the same side effects as males, such as liver tumors and heart failure. Surveys show that steroid use is a lot more wide spread in males around the world than females around the world (The Truth About Steroids). Why do athletes take steroids? Athletes take steroids to hopefully look, perform and feel better. Steroids help increase muscle mass and strength. The added muscle mass makes an athlete look bigger and more impressive. Athletes orally take, inject steroids, and rub creams or gels on their skin to introduce steroids into their system to get their desired results. Also, some steroids are prescribed to athletes, which make these steroids legal because they have been tested and proven to be healthy and help the body heal (Fainaru-Wada, Williams 16-17). Corticosteroids are legal steroids because they do not increase muscle mass or strength. Corticosteroids are man-made substances that resemble the cortisone hormone naturally produced in the body. Corticosteroids are used in the treatment of joint pain or inflammation, temporal arthritis, dermatitis, allergic reactions, asthma, hepatitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory bowel disease, sarcoidosis and for glucocorticoid replacement in Addison's disease or other forms of adrenal insufficiency. Even though doctors prescribe corticosteroids to patients, they still can have negative side effects on a patient's body (“Steroids (Anabolic-Androgenic) – NIDA Infofacts”). Side effects from anabolic-androgenic steroids are dangerous and can be irreversible. Major side effects of steroids are liver tumors, fluid retention, and high blood pressure. Also, steroids decrease an athlete’s good cholesterol, which could cause major heart problems. Also, males suffer shrinking of the testicles, baldness, and infertility. Teenagers that take steroids suffer from halted premature growth. In addition to the physical side effects, athletes that use steroids will have psychological effects (Anabolic Steroids, A Brief History). Some of the physiological effects include extreme irritability, delusions, and impaired judgment. Athletes that use steroids can become addicted to them. Side effects of corticosteroids include lowered ability for a users body to fight infection, changes in appetite, and an inability to digest food. Also, athletes that inject steroids can contract HIV. Also, steroid users that use old syringes can contract hepatitis and other immune problems. One main difference between steroids and any other drug is that side effects may not show up for months, years and even decades. This means that an athlete could develop side effects even after they have stopped using steroids for a long period of time (Steroids). Athletes in every sport use steroids. Steroids affect many outcomes of games. Many athletes that have played in the Super Bowl, World Series, and NBA Finals have used steroids. Many athletes confess to have taken steroids and many deny ever using them. Mark McGwire hit seventy home runs, but how many did he hit because he had enough strength from using steroids (Mark McGwire Statistics and History). Alex Rodriguez is the youngest person to hit five hundred home runs, but how many did he hit without the use of steroids. Terry Bradshaw led the Pittsburgh Steelers to four Super Bowl wins, but he admitted that he used steroids when he played so how steroids affected many of those Super Bowls (Terry Bradshaw Admits Using Steroids In '70s). Marion Jones won five gold medals at the 2000 summer Olympics in Sydney, but her medals mean nothing because she used steroids to win them (Jones Returns Five Medals From 2000 Sydney Olympics). Barry Bonds hit five hundred and fifty-six home runs in his career, but how many did he hit because the steroids he took made him better (Fainaru-Wada, Williams 16-17). Then, there is the argument if athletes that used steroids should be allowed into the Hall of Fame. If the player never used steroids, the player would have never had to worry about that issue. There are many athletes that set and broke major records, but were caught-using steroids making their achievements not the same. Steroids do not just cheat athletes of accomplishing things, but they cheat the fans. Fans pay a lot of money to see their favorite athletes play the game. Fans are cheated of their money when other players decide to use steroids and get an illegal advantage over other athletes that worked to be in the position they are in. Athletes are role models to many children across the world, and when athletes use steroids it tells children that it is all right to cheat and cut corners. Dr. Weddler, of New York University, says, " Random drug testing will stop athletes from using steroids and all sports should make stricter rules about steroids in their sports (Anabolic Steroids)." Steroids are not worth the risk, another reason why athletes should not use them. An athlete may gain a little more strength from steroids but is that little amount worth having psychological side effects that will plague the athlete for the rest of his or her life. Also, steroids do not help improve agility, skill or other abilities needed to be successful. Athletes that take steroids regret ever using them after people find out they used them. Using steroids is not worth the infamy that athletes get after people find at that they used steroids. Also, steroid users spend a lot of time and money trying to get steroids. Using steroids is not worth having awards and trophies taken away because the athlete decided to cheat and lie by using steroids. Finally, there is little treatment for people who are addicted to steroids, another reason why steroids are not worth the risk (Steroids). Steroids ruin sports because athletes know they cheat when they use them. Athletes continue to use steroids because the steroids help emphasize the importance of winning, but the side effects make steroids not worth the dangerous risks. The strength of steroids makes people famous, which then temps athletes to take these shortcuts. Athletes that want fame and fortune need to work harder and out perform their opponents.