Nutritional Aspects of Exercise: Steroids & Steroid-like compounds by J.Blue and J.Lombardo - Essay Example

Book critique Following the overwhelming desire by athletes and sportsmen to win, most of them have turned to ergogenic compounds in a bid to gain the required edge. Some have resulted in the use of steroids and non steroid compounds without adequate information regarding to the same. It is purely important and ethical that one makes sound judgment on what to feed the body as the consequences are purely personal. Proper information entails every detail starting from dosage, benefits as well as the side effects.

The sensitive nature of drug related commodities such as steroids magnifies the need to gather adequate data for comparison and ultimately for sound judgment. Putting that into consideration, Blue and Lombardo’s article published in 1999 documents the required information to notify all the concerned parties. Consequently, they can make good decisions regarding usage. Driven by the fact that most athletes choose to use anabolic/androgenic compounds because of their intrinsic muscle building capabilities, the article puts much stress on them.

It also focuses and illuminates on these drugs by examining every aspects relating to them. There is recognition that these anabolic and androgenic steroids (AASs) are widely used though they are controlled drugs. Their regulation implies that they are hard to get hold of for use. This article is also driven and influenced by the move by the United States government to allow people to purchase a variety of steroids over the counter. The government facilitated this move through the institution of United States Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act in 1994.

Similarly, sports settings continue to require insights on the various easily available drugs for the purpose of categorizing them according. This article is meant to fulfill all the needs of sportsmen, sports organizations as well as individuals in knowing what some steroids and non steroids compounds entail. Blue and Lombardo’s article initially dwells on the reasons that some steroids and non steroids-like drugs are taken by sportsmen. The most important reasons are to amplify strength in the body, add up some weight, boost the levels of aggressiveness, enhance individual performance and increase capability of enduring high intensive and repetitive workouts.

These are also the long run outcomes that make athletes overlook the negative sides of some steroids or other sports related non steroid compounds. The insightful piece then covers the wider bracket of anabolic/ androgenic compounds by examining their administration, benefits to the athletes and the side effects. The steroids are consumed for the purposes that are initially stated in the article. However, their dosage varies according to sport group. Normally, athletes may consume 200-2000 milligrams per week depending on the desired outcomes.

The side effects sprout in various areas such as the liver and endocrine system. The endocrine system is likely to experience azospermia, virilisation, pripiapism, testis atrophy, erectile dysfunction, low libido levels, prostatic hypertrophy and gynecomastia. The liver succumbs to adenoma, peliosis hepatitis, no carcinoma and hyperplasia. The skin is affected by striae, androgenic alopecia, hirsuitism and acne. The metabolic system suffers from calcemia, kalemia, hypernatremia and phosphamatemia.

The likelihood of psychiatric cases is imminent with some androgenic compounds. Some of the psychiatric issues likely to be reported are depression, extreme mood swings and increased dependence of the drugs. Other side effects likely to occur are hypertension, thrombosis and cardiac hypertrophy. Decreased life span of the individual is the long term effects of most of the steroids Specifically, article also gives the effects of usage of some common steroids on different gender groups such as women and children.

The most common side effects on women are; decrease in libido, deepening of their voice, breast sizes reduce, there is enlargement of clitoris as well as baldness that assumes the male pattern. Children who take these steroids are likely to have a short stature. This is caused by hasty shutting of growth plates in the long bones. The sports piece further narrows down to some specific steroids that are rampant in the sports field. It takes an in-depth analysis by looking at the purpose of their use and the most vivid side effects.

The included reviews of AASs and non steroid-like compounds are creatine, caffeine, amphetamines, DHEA among others. The importance of critical review of some of the steroids and non steroid drugs could not be stressed any further. This article majorly provides a relevant output to all the athletes and major sports stakeholders. It is worth saying that the information relayed, especially side effects, are usually concealed by the manufacturers and advertisers. By exploring the biological and chemical perspectives of the steroids, much light is shed.

It is commendable that an article geared towards helping people is readily available and adequately equipped. More so, dealing with the most common of steroids rather than dwelling on the emerging or unknown is vital. It ensures that the information reaches a wide group of users. That said, the article achieves its intended purpose and still bears the capacity to reach more and upcoming steroids and non steroid-like compounds users. Work cited Blue J, Lombardo J, Nutritional Aspects of Exercise: Steroids & Steroid-like compounds, Clinics in Sports Medicine, Vol 18, Num 3, July 1999, pp 667-689