Student Athletes abusing Steroids Data Anaylysis

Alexa T. Dosreis

10-15-13

Journalism F Block

Students Athletes and Steroids

            To this day, student athletes are continuing to abuse steroids. The effects of this drug are obvious to see; however some research needs to be done to see the damaging effects it has to one’s body and mind. These negative effects are what most athletes tend over look because they are too distracted by their improved athletic ability. Sure these anabolic steroids enhance a players performance a great deal, but when does it get to the point where it all becomes, almost fake? Are athletes more prone to taking anabolic steroids when an athletic scholarship is on the line? Approximately the most likely time for a teen athlete to abuse steroids is in high school, where the pressure to gain a scholarship arrives, and the time to not stray from the top of the heap becomes crucial.

            First let’s talk about all the hidden side effects. Yes there are side effects behind the much larger, much more toned muscles, because when someone is taking steroids that are all they are going to see. Anabolic steroids are synthetic versions of male testosterone. This type of steroid is most commonly used in treaty conditions involving hormone deficiency, or muscle loss. However when used for nonmedical purposes, they are taken in higher doses, and “in those cases, steroids can cause mood swings - sometimes known as roid rage - and for adolescents, stunted growth and accelerated puberty.” (Fox News). Women have admitted to trying steroids as early on as eleven years old. The body’s liver can only detoxify so much at a time. Overindulgence of AAS can cause liver diseases that which result in the growth of tumors, internal bleeding, or other fatal conditions. Psychologically however: “Some psychiatric symptoms include mood swings, increased aggression, irritability, depression, anger, sadness, anxiety, nervousness and fatigue.” (Steroid Abuse). Teens most likely will not have the resources for the proper injection of steroids. Contaminated injections can lead to bacterial infections under the skin. Can abuse or addiction occur? It is illegal to obtain this type of drug without a medical need for it so that is automatically abuse. Repeatedly using the substance to a point that the mind develops a psychological craving for it is addiction.

            The Florida High school Athletic Association announced plans to crack down on the unsettling thought that their athletes may be abusing steroids. After their agency learned that the clinic that provides steroids to professional baseball players were providing them to high school students as well. Roger Dearing, the FHSAA executive director, said in a conference call: “"School districts simply cannot tolerate coaches who encourage or look the other way when they know student-athletes are using performance-enhancing drugs.” (Fox News).  They attempted to arrange a testing policy; however these tests do not come cheap, “Each drug test costs $150; there are about 283,000 student athletes in Florida high schools. The total costs of the tests could come to about $42 million a year, which everyone agrees is simply not possible.” (Fox News).  However they still feel a strong need to test any athlete that they suspect may be taking steroids, as well as punishing the parents that allow it to happen.

            Monitoring of future steroid usage is absolutely necessary. Trends and patterns of abusing various drugs have been recorded from eighth grade to twelfth grade.

 

	8th-Graders					10th-Graders				12th-Graders
	2003		2004	2005	2006	2003	2004	2005	2006	2003	2004	2005	2006
Steroid Use
Lifetime Past year Past month		2.5 1.4 0.7	1.9 1.1 0.5	1.7 1.1 0.5	1.6 0.9 0.5	3.0 1.7 0.8	2.4 1.5 0.8	2.0 1.3 0.6	1.8 1.2 0.6	3.5 2.1 1.3	3.4 2.5 1.6	2.6 1.5 0.9	2.7 1.8 1.1

(Fox News.com)

Regarding student athletes that are in middle school, about 20% of them say it is easy or fairly easy to obtain these drugs. Between tenth and twelfth grade, around 40-45% of the students say the same thing.

                I went around the room during class and asked my classmates and series of questions. Some choose to answer, however some just did not know, but it is important to know just how informed this generation of athletes are about steroid abuse. I first started with a question asking them how they felt about high school athletes taking steroids in general. Most responded with similar answers such as: it is cheating, it’s not healthy for your body, or they should only be taken for medical purposes. I found that they were giving me the same answers that my research was giving me as well. Next question was, how many students do you feel abuse steroids in school? Again they replied with similar answers which were maybe two, but no more than three. They felt although it is a popular issue there certainly is not even a handful of students that would abuse this drug for sports in school. The third question got them thinking. Do you feel all athletes should be tested for steroids? These answers were more of a mixture. Some said they absolutely should in order keep the student safe because he is a liability while under the schools responsibility. Others said no because the cost of testing would be unmanageable. The last different response was that we should test the athletes to reduce the amount of them on the drug, but should not solely because the school just would not be able to afford it.

                In order to keep these athletes away from AAS, they must be provided another way of putting on the muscle they seem to desperately desire. They can be taught all the nutritional ways to gain more muscle. Getting enough protein through food, eating breakfast, and avoiding toxins like alcohol, can help young athletes get stronger without consuming all the shakes or enhancements.

                For all the athletes out there who are desperate to perform better in sports need to be aware of the safer, healthier, and most importantly legal ways of bulking up. College scouts are not going to look for the student athletes that took a shortcut to their success because what good is your success to them if you accomplished it in illegal and unconventional ways. That is why the hard work you put into it will be more worth it in the end. Therefore they should never agree to take the drug without educating themselves on the side effects because is the risk really worth it?