research

Anabolic Steroids

As a society, we are preoccupied with the idea of perfection. We look up to those in magazines, in sports, and on TV. Our society is essentially one large competition. We compete for everything, whether it be a job, a grade, or a spot on a team. To be competitive is to be human, but we then ask ourselves: how far will we take this need to be superior? Some may draw the line at taking regular, over-the-counter supplements. Others may be willing to risk their health in order to improve their physical appearance as well as performance. Working out and dieting aside, many every-day gym goers, as well as professional athletes, have resorted to taking anabolic-androgen steroids. Anabolic-androgen steroids are a form of synthesized testosterone, the male hormone responsible for muscle growth and male-specific characteristics. The use of steroids has been proven to increase athletic performance while increasing muscle size and strength. However, one expert and his colleagues claims that “approximately one to three million users in the United States have abused the drug” in order to gain the sought-after “edge” over their competition (Sjoqvist 1872).
The isolation of hormones is credited to a “…German chemist, Adolf Butenandt, who in 1931 purified 15 milligrams of androstenone, a male hormone, from thousands of liters of male urine” (Hoberman 76). Only three years later, Leopold Ruzicka, a Croatian scientist, synthesized a similar form of the hormone. Soon after, it was found that the testicles, the male reproductive organ, secreted an even more powerful hormone. After years of examination, this hormone was named testosterone, from the stems testes of the male reproductive organ, sterol, a human cholesterol, and ketone, a suffix for molecules with a certain molecular composition. In the 1940’s, the production of a synthetic form of the hormone began. According to Ryan Calfee from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the use of the product began in the Soviet Union, where Olympic weightlifters were administered with the drug to improve their performance. In attempts to match the success of the European lifters, the United States team physician, Dr. John Ziegler, developed one of the first known steroids called Dianabol (578). Most commonly used to treat burn victims, bodybuilders and weightlifters began to use the drug. Up until the 1980's, testosterone was a prescription-only drug, often used to treat diseases, such as growth deficiencies in children. However, media reports began to associate them with performance-enhancing and physique-altering effects. Soon enough, they became commonplace in the world of competitive bodybuilding and weightlifting.
Steroids have several different methods of administration, including orally, topically, or by injection. In order for oral steroids to withstand liver breakdown, the drug is modified by alkylation, which is the process of adding carbon atoms at the 17-Carbon atom. This prevents the liver from breaking down the steroid before it enters the user’s bloodstream. Injectable, or parenteral steroids are injected into the muscle using a syringe. An extensive study was recently done on the drug by Dr. Jason Cohen and several of his colleagues, documenting the methods and effects of its of use and the demographics of the 1,995 surveyed users. “To prevent an irregular, sudden change of the amount of the steroid in the bloodstream,” states Cohen, “the drug is administered directly into the muscle, rather than into the vein of the user” (Cohen et al. 11). In a recent BioMed journal, Scientist Fred Hartgens stated that for a injectable steroid to be used by the body, the drug needs to be esterified (515).”Esterification is the addition of carboxyls to the 17-beta hydroxyl group on the testosterone molecule,” says Hartgens. This allows the muscle to absorb the testosterone molecules over a longer period of time, “maximizing the anabolic effects, while simultaneously minimizing the adverse effects” (Hartgens 516). Additionally, steroids can be administered through a patch, which provides a steady release of the hormone. However, the use of injectable steroids seems to be the most popular. In a recent study of 1,995 steroid users, 77 percent preferred the use of the injectable steroids (Cohen et al. 9). Additionally, the large majority of the users, approximately 73 percent, took precautionary measures in regards to sterility when using the drug, with only .7 percent ever using another’s needle, or reusing one from a previous injection (9). When using steroids, the user must "cycle", which is taking the steroids for a period of time, taking time off, then resuming their use. This is necessary as it gives the body time to rest from the work that it does to metabolize the steroids, which in turn makes them more effective. Also, the body rids itself of the artificial steroids and allows the normal production of testosterone to resume.
Steroids can have both androgenic and anabolic effects. Anabolic effects, relating to the growth of human tissue, are the effect that most serious athletes and bodybuilders search for. Steroids affect the human body positively in at least two major ways. Dr. IG Brodsky notes that the steroids increase the amount of protein in the body, which is essential to the gain of fat-free mass. Additionally, he acknowledged that they suppress the production of cortisol, a catabolic (muscle-wasting) drug (3470). Anabolic steroids synthesize testosterone, and also help to retain nitrogen which maintains a nitrogen balance in the muscles, ultimately helping to increase their size. However, steroids also have androgenic effects. These effects relate to the male hormone androgen, which is responsible for the gender-specific characteristics of males. Some of the more adverse effects of steroids include testicular atrophy, which is the diminishing of size and functionality of the testicles, and as a result, sterility. Commonly cited as a major issue, Dr. M. Alen states, “…the effect is most often temporary and normal sperm production returns after the user has ended their cycle” (356). Acne seems to be a side effect as well, in both men and women. This is a result of the increased amount of testosterone, which is also seen during puberty when it is at its peak. Additonally, the “DHT receptors in hair may become sensitive, causing premature baldness in both men and women also,” says Dr. Vierhapper in a recent University of Vienna study (52). Prostate enlargement also occurs in males, as well as an increase in cholesterol. In addition, hepatitis and other infections can be brought on by the sharing of needles, although a 2007 study indicates that said sharing of needles is fairly uncommon, and is often frowned upon (Cohen et al. 9). Due to their muscle-building capabilities, steroids have been used to prevent muscle-wasting in cancer and AIDS victims, as well as stimulating the growth of underdeveloped children (Ranke 15). Steroids have a very wide range of effects, positive and negative, and it is the user’s responsibility to be aware of these risks and benefits when using the drug. The use and possession of steroids today is illegal in all states. In 1990, they were added to the Schedule III list of federally controlled substances. The US Department of Justice set the punishments for the drug, with possession punishable by up to one year in prison, with distribution holding a sentence of up to 5 years. The distribution to anyone under 21 is punishable by 10 years for the first offense, with a penalty of up to 20 years for the second offense. In 2004, the US Government passed the Steroid Control Act. According to the DEA, prohormone dietary supplements, precursors to testosterone in the body, were added to the controlled substances list prohibiting their sale and distribution as well in early 2005. Today, steroids are punished the same as all the other Schedule III drugs, such as amphetamines, opium, and prescription drugs, a clear exhibit of the federal government’s disapproval of the use of steroids. There has been much controversy in regards to the use of steroids. While promoting muscle size and strength, giving people the body image they are seeking, there are also adverse effects on the body. Due to the demand for the drug, its production has become a multi-million dollar industry, and its abuse has led to the federal government's banning of the possession and distribution of the drugs. However, despite the potential physical and legal reprocussions, the drug has become commonplace in not only sports, but in our society as a whole.