Effects of Steroids on Sportswomen - Essay Example

Effects of Steroids on Sportswomen Steroids are not limited to a particular group of people. At present, they are used by a large number of people from different backgrounds. The situation has changed from the past where steroids were used only by bodybuilders, weightlifters and sportsmen. At the moment, school girls are using the steroids, in order to become slimmer and more beautiful. In addition, female students in the colleges are using steroids, which have become a commonly used class of drugs among women. Moreover, sportswomen are using steroids to enhance their performance in sporting events. For instance, Kelli White, who had been the fastest women in the Olympics; subsequently, tested positive for drug abuse, when tested by the BALCO drug testing laboratory in California. It was established that she had consumed steroids. Consequently, she was disallowed from participating in sporting events. Similarly, Jennifer Devine, another athlete was found guilty of steroid use and was subsequently, banished for her life time from international athletics (Bishop, 2005). The 1986 European women’s shot – put champion, Heidi Krieger, disclosed in an interview that she had used excessive amounts of steroids, on the advice of her coaches to excel in the competition. She had been administered heavy doses of steroids without her knowledge by her coaches. Subsequently, she suffered from physical and emotional problems, as she underwent rapid changes in her body as well as in her emotions. Over a period of time she started to develop the psyche of a man; and her physique depicted the characteristics of a male. These changes compelled her to undergo a sex – change operation in the year 1997. After that operation she changed her name to Andreas Krieger. She stated that her feelings were masculine and that she was attracted towards women, like other men. It was later discovered that her coaches had fed her with the Oral-Turinabol class of anabolic steroids. As such, there were more than ten thousand East German female athletes, who had been administered with performance enhancing drugs (Pleitgen, 2008). Androgenic Anabolic Steroids or AAS enhance the physical performance of athletes and sportspersons to a significant extent. In the past, these AAS were associated with only male athletes. Of late, sportswomen have also commenced to employ these drugs, so as to improve their performance in competitions. Such drug abuse by women participants had not come to the notice of the sports authorities, in the past. However, such events have become common place at present, and the sports authorities are implementing stricter measures to prevent the use of steroids by women in sports. Other organizations are also stressing the importance of steroid free sports and athletics. Furthermore, there is wide spread criticism against drug abuse in sports (Association Against Steroid Abuse). Both sportsmen and sportswomen abuse anabolic steroids to improve their physical performance. Of late, women athletes are competing with men in abusing steroids and psychomotor stimulants. In 1986, 64% positive results regarding the use of anabolic steroids by women athletes had been realized in a test for the abuse of banned drugs. 26% of women athletes were found to have consumed stimulants. Androgenic anabolic steroids promote male characteristics in women. As a result, sportswomen who use AAS are at the risk of developing masculine characteristics. The major problem with the use of steroids is that these male characteristics are nonreversible and permanent masculinization transpires. Young girls during the puberty phase should not use anabolic steroids; because steroid use in that period has serious side effects during such times. For instance, their development would be stopped abruptly; their epiphyscel plate would close prematurely and this would lead to the improper development of their long bones (Rontoyannis). Anabolic steroids are produced in laboratories that synthetically prepare testosterone, a male hormone, through a special procedure. Thus, anabolic steroids are synthetic variants of natural testosterone. This hormone is produced in every human being irrespective of gender. In males the testes produce this hormone and in females the ovaries produce it. In females other body tissues also produce the testosterone hormone. Synthetic variants of the testosterone hormone are called androgenic anabolic steroids. Androgenic connotes enhancement of masculine characteristics. Anabolic means the building up of body tissues, and steroids are the classification of these drugs. Therefore, androgenic anabolic steroids promote masculine characteristics in the person who uses them (Greater Dallas council on alcohol & drug abuse). It is common for sportswomen to abuse AAS to enhance their physical performance. The brand names for these drugs in the market are Deca-Durabolin, Durabolin, Equipoise and Winstrol. These are the most abused steroids and they are easily available across the counter. They are also known as Arnolds, gym candy, pumpers, roids, stackers, weight trainers and juice. Testosterone promotes the anabolic effect, which promotes tissue generation. These drugs bring about the changes that occur in males during their puberty phase. These physical changes are seen in the female users of these drugs. This is the major side effect of androgenic steroids. Moreover, the AAS promotes the rapid generation of body tissues and improves protein levels in the body. This is referred to as the anabolic effect, and it accelerates protein synthesis in the users. As a result of this property, the user develops greater muscle mass and body weight (Greater Dallas council on alcohol & drug abuse). Anabolic steroids are mainly prescribed by physicians for patients with lean body mass and weak physique. These steroids bring about an increase in the muscle mass, strength and aggressiveness. Athletes and body builders use these steroids because they reduce the recovery time between practice sessions. This enables them to work harder and enhance their physical strength. Under legitimate use, AAS are administered by qualified medical practitioners to patients. These medical personnel administer these steroids in several ways such as intramuscular injections, subcutaneous injections, oral administration, implanting pellets under the skin and by using patches specially made for that purpose. The abusers of steroids also adopt the same techniques. Abuse of steroids is chiefly by oral means and injections. These individuals take high doses of the drug, which may range from one to one hundred times what is normally prescribed. Some abusers club two or more types of steroids and consume them simultaneously (Greater Dallas council on alcohol & drug abuse). The periodicity of use of steroids is also changed by these abusers. They usually ingest steroids over a period of time that extends between six to sixteen weeks. Furthermore, they interchange periods of high doses with periods of low doses. This alternation of periodicity is termed as cycling. Sometimes steroid abusers totally abstain from the drug, whilst other abusers ingest some other type of steroids. In addition, such individuals enhance the use of steroids by consuming different types of steroids; and by also increasing the dosage and frequency of ingestion. This leads to the maximum consumption of steroids. Subsequently, they gradually reduce the amount and frequency of taking steroids. Such a cycle of consuming steroids is known as pyramiding. Anabolic steroids promote muscle mass, increase physical strength and endurance of the abuser. For this reason most athletes and body builders abuse steroids to increase their workout time and their performance. However, the abuse of anabolic steroids results in a number of side effects such as tumors in the liver, jaundice, fluid retention and high blood pressure. In addition to these side effects, women abusers undergo adverse effects, such as facial hair growth, deepened voice and cessation of menstrual periods (Greater Dallas council on alcohol & drug abuse). Young females, who abuse steroids, are at risk of suffering from disturbed menstrual cycles. Some of these women experience amenorrhea, which can be reversed by stopping the use of steroids. The pituitary gland gets affected in the long run, and the levels of LH and FSH in blood plasma drop considerably. Pituitary hypogonadism causes deters maturation of follicule and ovulation. Consequently, the follicular phase protracts, and the luteinic phase of the ovulation cycle deteriorates. As a result, the user becomes sterile and infertile if there is continued abuse of steroids. In addition, their immunity would be reduced to a very low level, and the body’s defense mechanisms would be suspended permanently. This would make them susceptible to infections and to the development of neo-plasma, which results in vascular atherosclerosis (Rontoyannis). Steroids pose an extreme danger to the health of their users. These drugs affect the moral integrity of sports. There are innovative interventions that promote the efficiency of sports performers. As such, modern sports science provides sophisticated and intensive non – pharmaceutical alternatives to sportspersons, which help them to drastically improve their performance. However, steroids enable the increase of physical performance to a greater extent than these innovative alternatives; and they provide strength and endurance to their users. For this reason many athletes prefer to use steroids rather than the scientific training programs, nutrient diets and complex physiological methods. Sports science also provides biomechanical measurements during the workout of athletes. However, such initiatives do not reduce the recovery time between workouts. On the other hand, steroids reduce such recovery time, which enables the users to work hard for long periods of time (Noakes, August 26, 2004). List of References Association Against Steroid Abuse. (n.d.). WOMEN AND STEROIDS. Retrieved November 30, 2008, from http://www.steroidabuse.com/steroids-and-women.html Bishop, r. (2005). Steroids a growing issue for women in sports. Retrieved November 30, 2009, from http://media.www.studentprintz.com/media/storage/paper974/news/2005/12/01/Sports/Steroids.A.Growing.Issue.For.Women.In.Sports-1994619.shtml Greater Dallas council on alcohol & drug abuse. (n.d.). Steroids. Retrieved November 30, 2008, from http://www.gdcada.org/statistics/steroids.htm Noakes, T. D. (August 26, 2004). Tainted Glory - Doping and Athletic Performance. The New England Journal of Medicine , Vol 351: 847-849. Number 9. Pleitgen, F. (2008, August 11). Athlete says sports steroids changed him from woman to man. Retrieved November 30, 2008, from CNN.com: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/08/11/sexchange.athlete/index.html Rontoyannis, G. (n.d.). Characteristics of Sportswomen from the Point of view of Sports Medicine. Retrieved November 30, 2008, from http://www.ioa.org.gr/books/sessions/1990/1990_136.pdf Read More