Anabolic Steroids Persuasive Speech

Attention Getter - By a quick show of hands, how many of you have ever played a sport before?........And I think its safe to say that most of you would be angry if a person you were competing against did something that gave them an unfair advantage. Well that is exactly what anabolic steroids do for an athlete.

Ethos & Audience Adaptation - I have looked into many different ideas and insights into anabolic steroids, and I am here to tell you a little bit about them.

Preview - The three main points I will be discussing today will be the use of anabolic steroids in sports, and the effects and problems associated with steroids. But firstly I will tell you tell you what anabolic steroids are, and the reasons for use.

Steroids.org says the technical name for these steroids is anabolic-androgenic steroids, commonly known as AAS. In simple form, this means that they have two qualities they promote anabolism (or cell growth) and are androgenic (enhance male characteristics). Although there are many different forms and variations of AAS, they are all related to the hormone testosterone.
Anabolic steroids may be taken as a pill, as a shot into a muscle, or as a gel or cream rubbed on the muscle

Anabolic steroids shouldn’t be confused with corticosteroids.
Corticosteroids are the steroids that doctors give to patients to heal certain things from arthritis to poison ivy.

The main purpose of anabolic steroids is to mimic the testosterone, and androgen in the body, and create those hormones in huge amounts. This increase in these hormones promotes skeletal muscle growth and male sexual characteristics.
Most steroids are taken in order to decrease fat on the body and increase the amount of body muscle.
Steroids are usually taken by people who are unhappy with their body size or feel the need to increase their strength in order to gain an edge in a sport, or weightlifting.
Next I will be talking about the use of steroids in
sports

The way most people hear about anabolic steroids is through the sports industry.
Many athletes have tested positive for the use of anabolic steroids, while much more have been accused
Some sports have a higher rate of use such as baseball, and football than others such as hockey or basketball.
Baseball has always been the main sport that takes most of the blame for the steroid boom. Players such as Barry Bonds, Jose Conseco, Alex Rodriguez, and many more have become the face of the steroid era, and are most commonly associated with the drug.
In sports such as cycling, it is believed that over 60% of the field uses some sort of performance enhancing drug according to espn.com. In sports like this the testing is not as widely distributed like in baseball, which is why cyclists like Lance Armstrong weren 't caught for many years.
So, while we may think that only sports like baseball have a steroid problem, almost every sport has many cases of steroid use but they often go unnoticed.
The use of steroids by professional athletes has a huge negative effect on the youth of our country. When kids playing a sport see their idols using steroids, they feel that it’s the only way for them to excel, and makes them more susceptible to taking steroids.
Although there are a few positive side effects to anabolic steroids, there are many more reasons not to take them.
There are a huge number of negative side effects that come along with anabolic steroids, some that are short term and some that are long term.
First I will discuss some of the long term effects in both men and women, which I found on webmd.com
In men, anabolic steroids can:
Shrink your sexual organs.
Cause you not to be able to father children.
Enlarge the breasts.
In women, anabolic steroids can:
Increase body hair.
Make skin rough.
Decrease breast size.
Deepen the voice.
In both men and women, anabolic steroids can cause:
Bone growth to stop before it is complete in a teen. The teen may not reach his or her full adult height.
A heart attack or stroke, even in a very young person.
Liver disease and possibly liver cancer. The chance of these problems is higher when steroids are taken as a pill.
Male-pattern hair loss.
Some of the short term effects that I have found are
Reduced sperm count.
Skin infections that can become severe if the drug was tainted with bacteria.
Irritability, rage, uncontrolled high energy (mania), or (delusions).
Oily skin and acne.
High blood pressure.
Higher levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and lower levels of good cholesterol (HDL).
Aside from this list, there is also many more negative side effects that come along with anabolic steroids that can really harm you.
So today I have told you a few things about anabolic steroids. I touched on the definition of anabolic steroids, as well as the reason for use. Also, I told you about a few athletes that have taken steroids, and the fallout that would ensue. And finally I discussed the many side effects and problems that come along with these drugs. So next time you want to get an advantage on the competition do it the right way, and don’t risk harming your body in the process.

Works Cited
"Anabolic Steroids: Side Effects." Anabolic Steroids: Side Effects. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2014.
Balcavage, Dynise. Steroids. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2000. Print.
Egendorf, Laura K. Steroids. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2006. Print.
Pietaro, Joe. "What Are Anabolic Steroids?" What Are Anabolic Steroids? N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.
"Steroid Effects: Abuse of Anabolic Steroids." WebMD. WebMD, 03 Jan. 0000. Web. 09 Feb. 2014.