Many athletes, throughout their careers, have considered using steroids to give them an edge over other athletes. The athletes that decide to take them don't think of the side effects or they just think nothing will happen to them. Side effects can range from something small like hair lose or the side effects can be so bad that the individual might wish that they had never taken them. Most of the time the side effects are worse than the benefits.

Anabolic steroids have been around for nearly 40 years. This would classify them as fairly old drugs. Steroids have changed little since the early 50's. At that time scientists became convinced that testosterone was responsible for masculine characteristics in men. In the 40's discovery in the area of testosterone and its anabolic effect made manufactures aware testosterone, which was given to people suffering severe malnutrition, mainly P.O.W's. By the early 50's athletes in the Eastern world were already using steroids in an effort to increase their strength. News of this drug became more and more wide spread as Russian lifters crushed weight lifting records with regularity. On this lead Dr. John Ziegler was able to verify that testosterone had indeed been used effectively to increase the performance of the Russian lifters. Attempting to give American athletes the same edge, he and CIBA labs developed Dianabol in 1956! This drug was a cured derivative of testosterone !

but it has been effective as any anabolic steroid produced to this date. Therefore this started the obsession with steroids and their athletic enhancing properties has run out of control to this date.

There are some key terms such as Alpha alkylated 17 refer to the addition of alkyl substitute on the 17th carbon position of the steroid molecule. On most oral steroids this was found to greatly increase the life of it in the body. Without this adjustment, most oral steroids would be rendered inactive after first pass. This adjustment makes oral steroids much more effective, it has also made their toxicity the highest of any steroid.

Anabolic refers to the promoting of anabolism, the actual building of tissue, mainly muscle. This occurs through synthetic chemical reactions in one's metabolism. Anabolism occurs by taking substances from the blood that are essential for growth and repair and using them to stimulate cell reactions, which in turn produce synthesis of tissue. This effect is most sought after by steroid users.

Anabolic steroids are synthetic derivatives of testosterone a hormone that occurs naturally in the body controlling many functions. Among these functions is the promoting of anabolism. Steroids mimic this natural occurring event and have the ability to do so at an accelerated rate.

Androgenic refers to a classification of testosterone. This function of testosterone is responsible for male's sexual characteristics like body hair, deepening on the voice, and development of the male s

The Use of Anabolic Steroids on Sport Athletes. (1969, December 31). In DirectEssays.com. Retrieved 18:37, May 23, 2013, from http://www.directessays.com/viewpaper/63230.html

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