Introduction
By definition, steroids are artificial or natural composites that assist in controlling definite body functions. They are categorized in two groups namely anabolic steroids and androgenic steroids.Anabolic steroids are the most common one, which is utilized by sportspersons to enhance their performance in sporting.
In light of exploration and subjective reports regarding whether to use steroids or not for bodybuilding reasons, it appears there are unquestionably two distinct groups and every camp with primarily divergent viewpoints concerning the advantages and disadvantages of using steroids.
Each group has come out strongly to defend their positions with yes group arguing that enhancing performance benefits that steroid brings outweighs the side effects while the anti-group have stated numerous reasons to discourage sportspersons from using them.
When you think critically as an athlete, can your health be compared with merely winning a race? Of course, not health is more important that is why I am against using steroids to enhance performance. All athletes should think about the harm they are doing to their body and their general health before using steroids
Steroids are harmful and should only be used when a medical doctor recommends instances such as treatment of osteoporosis, impotence, anemia, and breast cancer regulation and enhance weight loss when patient losses too much weight (Lewis 2).We also have steroid creams, which come in handy in dealing with specific skin and irritating situations. Much as there numerous medical applications of steroids, their use in medicinal applications has been limited, as a result of possible side effects that come with their use.
Therefore, generally speaking, steroids are not good for use as it leads to the numerous adverse effects. According to Lewis, people who use steroids have higher chances of developing heart diseases, stokes, interior body bleeding, virus-related infections, liver tumor and general weakening of immune systems(3). With such health complications, risk factor is increased, life expectancy is decreased the users may die earlier than non-users.
Another dark side of steroids is that they lead to hormone imbalances, particularly in teenagers who may already be having issues with hormones. With use of anabolic steroids, it may result in contracting of testicles,breasts, and low semen count. For girls, it may lead to small breast, being more of a man like deeper voice and disproportionately growth of body hair for instance growing beards.
Additional, with abuse of steroids, it affects individual growth and may result into an individual remaining short for the rest of theirlife (Robinson 3). Such issues affect ones’ self-esteem and affect their performance even in class.
Steroids are addictive. There use will force users to continue a costly drug custom and should they stop using them abruptly, they will have to face withdrawal symptoms such as sleeplessness, tiredness, anxiety, mood swings, appetite loss, and steroid cravings (Lewis 4).
Most of people who stop using similarly undergo depression mostly years after stopping to an extent committing suicide becomes their only better option. Sometime as they try to control side effects associated with use of steroids, they try out other drugs or medicines, which in many cases can simply leading to use of hard-core drug making the situation worse.
Continued use of steroids leads to false impression and mania and in the end; they transform a humble and mild mannered individual into a violent murderous fanatic or mania commonly referred to as ‘roid rage’. Another factor about anabolic steroids that people have continued to ignore is the fact that they are illegal under the penal code. They are categorized as controlled material and registered pharmacists under doctor’s recommendation can only retail them. Therefore, if anyone gets them via other means, they risk being jailed.
The misconception about bodybuilding and steroid could be the reason why people abuse steroid. People are made to believe that by simply taking steroids, it will enhance their muscles and make them ‘muscular’ and built. The truth is that even after taking them, one need to do bodybuilding workouts and lift weights before attaining desired physique.
Steroids alone will never to do that but instead waste peoples’ general fitness. Even though to some extent, steroid may assist in improving physical appearance, if correctly executed, bodybuilding aerobics will give similar outcomes without any harmful side effect (Lynn 2).
We have anothergroup, which has argued that steroids use is not bad provided they are taken under a medical doctor’s management. There justification is based on the fact that steroids improve individuals’ healthiness and well-being and, certainly, be the leaders as far as bodybuilding accomplishment is concerned.
Those who support use of steroid do not seem to understand moral quandaries that come with use of steroids and in their opinion, bodybuilding success is an indication of advancement and they should continue using so as to excel in sports or bodybuilding. Furthermore, they argue that “given steroids are synthetically derived versions of the natural male sex-hormone testosterone, it is thought they could actually assist the male who, for whatever reason, experiences declining levels of this hormone” (Lynn3).
In myview steroid should only be used for limited medical applications under doctor’s direction and if an alternative can found, it should be used instead of using steroid. This is because even when used for medicinal purposes and in small quantities, steroids might lead to permanent harm to the patient, even if the patient discontinues using them.In addition, for those who abuse steroid for bodybuilding and performance enhancement purposes face severe consequences and they must stop using them.
Just to mention a few, the use of steroid leads to negative effects such heart diseases, liver cancer, low sperm count, interior body bleeding, strokes and general weakening of the body immune system. Moreover, steroids lead hormone imbalances leading to shrunken testicles and breasts for boys while girls it may lead to small breast, being more of a man like deeper voice and disproportionately growth of body hair for instance growing beards.
Finally, it leads to addiction, which is an expensive habit to maintain,and this is coupled with high chances of being jailed is caught. It is better to avoid using steroids and try doing physical exercise to enhance physical appearance since it reality steroids alone will not give you that muscular appearance you are dreaming out but properly executed bodybuilding aerobics does.
There is noteworthy reason as to why someone should use steroid since the side effects are more and therefore people should abstain from using steroid. The secret is exercises consistently and correctly, eat a well balanced diet and you will a health physical appearance. Steroids will offer a momentary solution, but you may death is not something you can tradeoff with just enhancing physical appearance.
Works Cited
Lewis, Liz.5 reasons not to take anabolic steroids. Bliss Tress,15 Dec. 2007. Web.
Lynn,Michy.Steroid use and abuse: The good, bad, and ugly of steroid abuse. Yahoo Inc., 16 October 2006. Web.
Robinson,David. The Anthony Catanzaro approach to natural bodybuilding: The pros & cons of steroids. Critical Bench, 21 Feb. 2011.Web.