Steroids - You May Not Get What You Bargained For

Anabolic steroids are derivatives of the male hormone testosterone that are typically injected into the body. Many brands must be administered with huge syringes, and the needle must penetrate the muscle deeply.

An estimated one million Americans, half of them teenagers, use anabolic steroids. Most are obtained illegally...through the black market. And...the market for black-market steroids is huge: in excess of $400 million. It's highly likely that huge profits are being made in some circles at the expense of our young people.

Many young athletes are attracted to steroids because they think these drugs will build up their muscles or improve their athletic performance. There are, however, many health hazards and risks resulting from anabolic steroid use, including:

• Testicular atrophy (shrinking of the testicles)
• Severe acne
• Permanent stunting of growth
• Premature balding
• Yellowing of the skin and eyes
• Weakening, tearing, or rupture of tendons
• Possibility of contracting AIDS or other infectious diseases from sharing needles used to inject the steroids.
• Possibility of injecting tainted drugs (because anabolic steroids are often obtained illegally, their purity is frequently in question.)
• Uncontrollably aggressive and combative behavior in some users, often leading to trouble with the law and arrests.
• Depression and suicide attempts when steroid use stops.

Men who abuse steroids may develop female-type breasts and their testicles may shrink. In younger boys, steroids may enlarge the sex organs to a painful degree. In women, steroid abuse may cause a deepening of the voice, shrunken breasts, irregular menstruation, a swollen clitoris, and excessive facial and body hair. There are behavioral problems associated with steroid use as well. Users can become aggressive and develop "roid rages" or bursts of anger that can become violent and may result in encounters with the law.

Although all of the evidence isn't in right now, some physicians suspect that some young steroid users may suffer liver and kidney problems, or die prematurely from strokes or heart attacks.

Yet despite all of the warnings about the dangers of steroids, many users and potential users won't get the message until it's too late. Reportedly, there is an entire subculture that has formed around the use of steroids, and many of its members mistrust the medical establishment, refusing to heed doctors' admonitions. That's because at one time doctors told them that steroids did not enhance athletic ability -- an assertion that users found untrue.

"Steroids use can induce a spurious sense of hope regarding individual athletic achievement," explains Littleton orthopedic surgeon David C. Greenberg, M.D., a former team physician for the Denver Nuggets. "This is quickly dashed when medical problems caused by steroid abuse far exceed any possible performance benefits, real or imagined." "Steroids are particularly dangerous in young people who are still developing," continues Dr. Greenberg. "Yet over half of the people in America using steroids start before they're 16 years old. Even a short period of abusing these drugs could have permanent, damaging effects in this age group.

"It's sad to see a young person with great potential -- athletically, academically, or personally -- who succumbs to peer pressure to use these dangerous drugs and winds up suffering lasting damage. It is vital to communicate this message to our young people...to stop the damage before it can start."

For a free brochure on the dangers of anabolic steroid abuse, send your written request along with a self-addressed stamped envelope (standard #10 business size) to: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, P.O. Box 2058, Des Plaines, Illinois 60017, or call (708) 823-7186, 1-800-824-BONES.