Use of Steroids in Bodybuilding Competitions - Essay Example

Natural bodybuilding is one of the hardest and most challenging sports since it requires discipline, endurance, rigorous training, and eating well. However, due to competition, many people use steroids to increase muscle build-up. Specifically, steroids increase the level of testosterone, a male sex hormone, which is responsible for masculinity (FitnessHealthZone web). An increased level of testosterone accelerates muscle growth and increased growth of body structure. Due to the increased competition in body-building sports, the players are allowed to use steroids to enhance their body muscles. However, the use of steroids demands high levels of discipline in terms of dosage and training. Otherwise, the users will have to bear the consequences of the misuse of steroids (BodyBuilding.com web).

One of the primary consequences of the misuse of steroids among bodybuilders is an irregular natural production of testosterone hormone in the body. This in turn causes reduced sex performance, cardiovascular complications, enlarged heart, aggression, and hypertension among others (FitnessHealthZone web). As much as we are happily cheering and celebrating our favorite bodybuilding sportsmen, we should pause for a moment and picture what happens inside their bodies. For instance, is it possible for bodybuilders to lead a normal life after their career as bodybuilders? Whereas most of the other sports such as football and basketball depend on natural talent and personal hard work, the modern bodybuilding man has to go beyond what is natural and use heavy doses of steroids.

The saddening issue about bodybuilding is the fact that bodybuilding primarily encourages the heavy usage of steroids instead of nurturing natural talent. In this game, heavy and large muscle build-up wins the game. This in turn encourages increased use of steroids as competitors seek to outdo one another (BodyBuilding.com web). It seems more rational for the competition rules to be changed such that they encourage natural competition whereby the use of steroids will be prohibited totally. Therefore, bodybuilders will join the rest of the natural sports such as marathons, football, baseball, cricket, and other games.

Whereas we appreciate the use of science in this sport, I think that science should not take away our nature as human beings. Bodybuilding competitions can be done without using steroids. If doping is prohibited in other sports, so should the use of steroids in bodybuilding. Otherwise, trophies and awards will only go to bodies that respond well to steroids as opposed to other games whereby hard work and natural talent matter.