I read this article from a student at FSU about steroids. How uneducated can one be about a topic and write as if he knows everything about the subject.
Looking good: Now or later?
by Brendan Murphy
September 09, 2004
Even with all the known side effects of steroid use, people continue to use steroids for both athletic and superficial purposes.
"I think it's a problem across the board, not just at FSU," said Dan Moore, health educator at Thagard Student Health Center. "They're being taken much more than we could ever imagine, but there are not many stats to back this up. People who do steroids will never admit to it. Steroids are hush-hush, undercover, like a secret society."
Steroids -- also known as gym candy, pumpers, stackers, A's, anabolics, roids, balls, bulls and juice -- have many known side effects, including cancer, liver damage, limb loss, heart disease/heart attack, baldness, HIV/AIDS, pain/difficulty urinating, and stunted growth in adolescents.
"Since 1991, steroid use has risen 50 percent among eighth and 10th grade students," Moore said. "(Steroid) use has also risen 38 percent among 12th graders. This is scary; that's young."
The aforementioned side effects should cause concern, but other side effects related to gender are also present.
"Steroids are related to the sex hormone," Moore said. "For guys, they de-masculinize, for women, they de-feminize."
Side effects particular to women include the development of male attributes -- deep voice and facial hair -- as well as infertility, smaller breasts, a stopped menstrual cycle, and clitoral enlargement.
For men, side effects include shrunken testes, reduced sperm count, an enlarged prostate, impotence, and irreversible breast enlargements, also known as "man boobs." The medical term for man boobs is gynecomastia.
"I would think that 'man boobs' would make some people think twice about steroids," Moore said. "This is not the case."
The facts are there. Steroids cause men to go limp and grow boobs and they cause women to go bald and grow an unnecessarily large clitoris. But why do people continue to use steroids?
"There are so many different reasons," Moore said. "If Derek Jeter hits five more home runs this year that means he will probably receive an extra million in his next contract. Or look at the speculation surrounding Barry Bonds. What if he became the greatest home run hitter of all time because of steroids? This is where the athlete motivation comes from -- to gain an edge.
But what about people who use steroids for reasons other than an athletic edge?
"For others, steroids simply make you look good," Moore said. "They make you lose weight, look strong and
give you that desired six-pack. In today's society these things have become real important. But steroids also provide a rush, which becomes addictive. You crave the rush, physically and psychologically. This is why most people take steroids intravenously, because it hits them quicker, right before they go to the gym."
Intravenously injecting steroids is primarily the reason for HIV/Aids being a side effect of usage, as many steroid users share needles. Not only does sharing needles cause HIV/AIDS, but also:
"Studies show some cases where sharing needles inflames the inner lining of your heart, which can be deadly," Moore said.
Sharing needles is clearly dangerous, and a common misconception is that steroids taken orally are cause for less concern.
"Steroids are illegal, so they're often made in cheap labs and the grade is really low," Moore said. "Who knows who made it? Most steroids are made in Mexico where they're legal. But a lot of the time someone's making steroids in a basement somewhere. You never know what you're going to get. It's like cocaine and heroine, you never know what you're going to get."
When comparing steroids to cocaine and heroine one would hope that users would be motivated to change their ways, but unfortunately, because of the addictive nature of steroids, people have difficulty fighting the addiction on their own.
We see steroids on campus everyday: How about the Leach Center where massive men with garden hose veins throw weights around and grunt. Steroids are more common than ever, and they need to be eliminated not only because of the personal damage they cause, but also the damage they cause to others.
"If you want to screw yourself up that's one thing, but when you effect other people's lives when you 'roid rage,' that's the worst part," Moore said.
If you or a loved one are being affected by steroids, help is available on campus at the Student Counseling Center by calling 644-2003.
Just remember:
"You can achieve these things naturally, it just takes longer," Moore said. "Steroids are the fast answer, but the backlash is hardcore."
Looking good: Now or later?
by Brendan Murphy
September 09, 2004
Even with all the known side effects of steroid use, people continue to use steroids for both athletic and superficial purposes.
"I think it's a problem across the board, not just at FSU," said Dan Moore, health educator at Thagard Student Health Center. "They're being taken much more than we could ever imagine, but there are not many stats to back this up. People who do steroids will never admit to it. Steroids are hush-hush, undercover, like a secret society."
Steroids -- also known as gym candy, pumpers, stackers, A's, anabolics, roids, balls, bulls and juice -- have many known side effects, including cancer, liver damage, limb loss, heart disease/heart attack, baldness, HIV/AIDS, pain/difficulty urinating, and stunted growth in adolescents.
"Since 1991, steroid use has risen 50 percent among eighth and 10th grade students," Moore said. "(Steroid) use has also risen 38 percent among 12th graders. This is scary; that's young."
The aforementioned side effects should cause concern, but other side effects related to gender are also present.
"Steroids are related to the sex hormone," Moore said. "For guys, they de-masculinize, for women, they de-feminize."
Side effects particular to women include the development of male attributes -- deep voice and facial hair -- as well as infertility, smaller breasts, a stopped menstrual cycle, and clitoral enlargement.
For men, side effects include shrunken testes, reduced sperm count, an enlarged prostate, impotence, and irreversible breast enlargements, also known as "man boobs." The medical term for man boobs is gynecomastia.
"I would think that 'man boobs' would make some people think twice about steroids," Moore said. "This is not the case."
The facts are there. Steroids cause men to go limp and grow boobs and they cause women to go bald and grow an unnecessarily large clitoris. But why do people continue to use steroids?
"There are so many different reasons," Moore said. "If Derek Jeter hits five more home runs this year that means he will probably receive an extra million in his next contract. Or look at the speculation surrounding Barry Bonds. What if he became the greatest home run hitter of all time because of steroids? This is where the athlete motivation comes from -- to gain an edge.
But what about people who use steroids for reasons other than an athletic edge?
"For others, steroids simply make you look good," Moore said. "They make you lose weight, look strong and
give you that desired six-pack. In today's society these things have become real important. But steroids also provide a rush, which becomes addictive. You crave the rush, physically and psychologically. This is why most people take steroids intravenously, because it hits them quicker, right before they go to the gym."
Intravenously injecting steroids is primarily the reason for HIV/Aids being a side effect of usage, as many steroid users share needles. Not only does sharing needles cause HIV/AIDS, but also:
"Studies show some cases where sharing needles inflames the inner lining of your heart, which can be deadly," Moore said.
Sharing needles is clearly dangerous, and a common misconception is that steroids taken orally are cause for less concern.
"Steroids are illegal, so they're often made in cheap labs and the grade is really low," Moore said. "Who knows who made it? Most steroids are made in Mexico where they're legal. But a lot of the time someone's making steroids in a basement somewhere. You never know what you're going to get. It's like cocaine and heroine, you never know what you're going to get."
When comparing steroids to cocaine and heroine one would hope that users would be motivated to change their ways, but unfortunately, because of the addictive nature of steroids, people have difficulty fighting the addiction on their own.
We see steroids on campus everyday: How about the Leach Center where massive men with garden hose veins throw weights around and grunt. Steroids are more common than ever, and they need to be eliminated not only because of the personal damage they cause, but also the damage they cause to others.
"If you want to screw yourself up that's one thing, but when you effect other people's lives when you 'roid rage,' that's the worst part," Moore said.
If you or a loved one are being affected by steroids, help is available on campus at the Student Counseling Center by calling 644-2003.
Just remember:
"You can achieve these things naturally, it just takes longer," Moore said. "Steroids are the fast answer, but the backlash is hardcore."