Anabolic Steroids and its Physiological Mechanisms - Essay Example

"Anabolic Steroids and its Physiological Mechanisms" is a perfect example of a paper on drug therapy. Anabolic steroids are components of testosterone with raised anabolic effects and decreased virilizing characteristics. Sportspeople abuse anabolic steroids since they change their metabolism such that the user does not need any relaxation after exertion, contrary to nature. According to Gill G. (2017), anabolic steroids stimulate augmented growth hormone release and cause the harmful effects of cortisol, which reduces recovery time. This paper focuses on how performance-enhancing supplements work, the physiological effects they cause, how technological and biological advances will affect them, and my position on performance-enhancing drugs.

How Performance Enhancing Supplements Work (Physiological Perspective)
Performance-enhancing supplements (PES) are taken either orally, through intramuscular injections, or application on the skin. Drug abusers often take them in higher doses than those prescribed by doctors. The main components of anabolic steroids are testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Testosterone is formed from cholesterol in the testes' Leydig cells. DHT is produced from testosterone through metabolism, and then the two androgens join to a cytoplasmic receptor and then connect to DNA, enhancing gene transcription and then transforms into protein. PES works by enhancing protein anabolism, which is characterized by increased muscle physique and body weight. More protein is created through active steroid receptors and elevated mRNA. Anabolic steroids also boost appetite and bone restructuring (Gill G., 2017). High levels of testosterone, in turn, cause aggressiveness, mood swings, and increased sexual libido.

Anabolic Steroids’ Effect on Performance and Organs They Affect
Performance-enhancing supplements (PES) increase body activity and decrease exhaustion, thus improving performance. Research carried out by Peltier LT., & Pettijohn K.,(2018) on military soldiers showed that with regular exercise and training, testosterone present in anabolic steroids could be used to improve performance.
Anabolic steroids can affect various organs like the heart by causing hypertension, impaired diastolic filling, polycythemia, and many more. The skin can also be affected by acne due to sebaceous glands’ hypertrophy. Tendon injury has also been experienced by anabolic steroid users whereby the tendons break by altering the structure of collagen. They can also cause kidney failure and liver tumors (Gill G.,2017). Additionally, continued long-term use of PES can lead to addiction and even death.

Technological and Biological advances effect on Performance Enhancing Supplements.
Due to rising cases of doping in the sports industry, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was formed in 1999 to fight drug usage in sports. The development of a technological capability (TC) metric in laboratories is one strategy to identify PES users. Technology has discovered a new way to test Athletes who use PES by testing their urine and blood samples within 55 seconds (Gomez-Rios et al, 2018). This rapid on-site screening technology is termed coated blade-spray mass spectrometry, which can detect 100 drugs and more by just one drop of blood or urine. This process is relatively cheaper and faster (Gomez-Rios et al 2018). These technological and biological advances approved by WADA can help in reducing the use of performance-enhancing supplements. Considering the penalties associated with using the PES, athletes and other sportspeople will avoid using these drugs.

Personal Stand on Performance Enhancing Supplements
In my view, PES causes more harm than good. They pose various adverse side effects on the physiological nature of the human body. They interfere with body metabolism and sometimes cause long-term effects leading to death. According to Gill K.,(2017), anabolic steroids are regarded as ad schedule III controlled drugs; thus should only be prescribed by a qualified doctor. Meaning PES are illegal, and possession is punitive under the law.
Conclusively, PES is rampant, especially in the sports industry. They come with many side effects like aggressiveness, increased libido, muscle growth, and skin changes. Various organs in the body, like the liver, heart, and kidneys, are affected by increased testosterone. Technological advances have been developed to fight the use of PES among sportspeople, which may affect the production and use of PES. Therefore, it's illegal to own PES talk less about using them.