Introduction
Ensuring that all participants compete on a level playing field is one of the fundamental principles of competitive sports. Most athletes understand that the integrity of sports hinges on fair play and shunning any practices that could offer unfair advantage. However, there have been instances where athletes use substances that enhance their performance. For example, Russian was recently stripped of medals that its athletes had received after it was revealed that the country sanctioned and actively supported a doping program. It is unfortunate that the case of Russia is not isolated. There have been numerous other instances where athletes use performance enhancing substances that are banned and go against the spirit of fair play. To understand the damage that these substances do to competitive sports, it is necessary to examine them in detail.
Ergogenic Aid and Steroids
Before exploring how performance-enhancing substances functions, it is helpful to examine various key concepts. Ergogenic aid is among these concepts. Essentially, ergogenic aid is a general term that is used to refer to substances which have a performance-boosting impact on individuals (Bahrke, Morgan & Stegner, 2009). These substances are understood to enable individuals to work with greater efficiency. Furthermore, the substances increase energy and stamina levels (Bahrke, Morgan & Stegner, 2009). There are dozens of substances that can be considered to be ergogenic aids. Steroids are among these substances. They are regarded as ergogenic aids because they have been shown to present performance-enhancing benefits (Levy et al., 2008). These benefits and the adverse impacts that the steroids can have will become clearer in the discussion below.
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Effects of Steroids on Athletic Performance
While there are dozens of ergogenic aids, few have received as much attention as steroids. The fact that they are widely used by athletes is the main reason why steroids have been the subject of intense scrutiny and studies. Thanks to the scrutiny, a clear understanding of the impacts that they have on athletic performance has been gained. Facilitating tissue building is the main mechanism through which steroids enhance athletic performance (Ehrman et al., 2009). By enabling athletes to build tissue, the asteroids facilitate weight gain and power. Other performance measures that record significant improvement thanks to the steroids are aggressiveness and strength. It is important to note that there is no consensus among the scientific community regarding the impacts of steroids on athletic performance. The impacts mentioned above are based on anecdotal evidence. Another note that should be made is that steroids improve athletic performance by mimicking testosterone (George, 2003). This hormone is responsible for various changes that usually occur during puberty. However, since they are synthetic products, steroids are designed to only have effects that enhance performance while ensuring that users do not register such effects as hair growth and voice changes, which result from the action of testosterone. Whereas it is true that there are hundreds of athletes who claim that their performance improved thanks to steroids, one should understand that these substances also have adverse effects. These effects will be reviewed in a later section.
In the discussion above, it has been noted that enabling athletes to build tissue is the primary way through which steroids enhance athletic performance. It is worth noting that the impacts of steroids go beyond tissue building. These substances have also been linked to promoting endurance (“Performance Enhancing Drugs”, 2018). For any athlete to be successful, they need to train passionately. However, the limits of the human body make it difficult for the athletes to engage in intense training. Steroids help to address this issue. When they use steroids, athletes are able to recover quickly during training. Consequently, these athletes manage to train intensely, thereby enhancing their performance on the field. To fully understand the effects of steroids on athletic performance, it is helpful to consider cases of athletes whose success has been linked to this substance. Lance Armstrong, Dwain Chambers and Marion Jones are just some of these athletes. Whereas it is true that these athletes dominated their respective fields, they have since been banned from sports. Their stories should serve as caution to other athletes who are contemplating using steroids. A temporary boost in performance could set the stage for permanent disgrace and loss of a promising future.
Steroids versus Human Growth Hormone
It has been observed in a previous discussion that steroids help to fast-track tissue building. Human growth hormone (HGH) performs a similar function. This raises the question of how the steroids differ from the growth hormones. The main difference between the two substances lies in the mechanism through which they enhance athletic performance. On the one hand, steroids increase strength and endurance (“What’s the Difference”, 2009). These are important for athletes who are involved in sports that demand immense amounts of energy and exertion. On the other hand, the HGH makes it possible for athletes to become better coordinated (“What’s the Difference”, 2009). This hormone also enhances eye-sight. Combined with steroids, the HGH can have tremendous impact on athletic performance. However, athletes are usually warned that excessive amounts of these substances can have devastating effects. More importantly, the gains that they witness after using the substances are usually short-lived as they wear off with time. Another difference between steroids and HGH can be seen in their costs. In general, steroids tend to be cheaper (Haupt, 1993). This can be attributed to their popularity and the fact that they are widely and easily available. Versatility is another area where HGH and steroids differ. Unlike steroids which are mostly used for building muscle, HGH has more applications. For example, it is commonly used to decelerate the ageing process (“Growth Hormone”, n.d). Furthermore, this hormone delivers relief and enhances the recovery of patients who have suffered trauma that has left them with injuries.
Medical Risk of Steroid Use
It remains to be proved that the performance boost that athletes record is the result of using steroids. However, what has been established through rigorous scientific inquiry is that these athletes and other individuals who use steroids expose themselves to a wide range of medical risks. Mental problems are among the risks that steroid users are exposed to. Paranoia, irritability, delusions and impaired judgement are just some of these problems (NIDA, 2016). These problems usually occur in the short-term. As they continue to use steroids, individuals develop more serious health problems. For example, steroid use is blamed for kidney problems, liver damage, high blood pressure and heart attack. Moreover, users of steroids stare at the risk of stroke and drastic cholesterol level changes (NIDA, 2016). It was noted earlier that steroids function by mimicking testosterone. This mechanism of functioning causes steroids to present effects that are usually associated with testosterone. For example, men who use steroids may experience such issues as shrunken testicles, baldness and breast development (NIDA, 2016). Moreover, these men are exposed to an elevated risk of prostate cancer. For women, deepened voice, enlarged clitoris, and disruptions of the menstrual cycle are among the undesirable effects that steroid use presents (NIDA, 2016). Stunted growth is the main adverse effect that teens who use steroids experience. When presented with evidence regarding the medical risks of steroids, users may argue that their use of this substance is intermittent. These users need to understand that steroids have been shown to be addictive (NIDA, 2016). Furthermore, steroids are understood to be a gateway substance that sets the stage for users to begin experimenting with other substances. For example, individuals who use steroids may move on to such substances as opioids. These individuals seek other substances as part of their efforts to address such issues as sleep problems that result from steroid use (NIDA, 2016). It is worth noting that even as they attempt to abandon steroids, users will still suffer some problems. These include mood swings, restlessness, lack of appetite and fatigue. It is evident that steroid use has devastating outcomes. Those who are already using this substance should stop and those who are yet to should refrain.
Conclusion
Sports and athletics are among the avenues that unify the world at a time when violent conflicts are devastating communities. However, there are a number of worrying developments that threaten to erode the positive influence that sports has on global geopolitics. Doping is one of these issues. Using such substances as steroids, athletes attempt to enhance their performance. While their desire for enhanced performance is understandable, their decision to resort to banned substances raises questions about their dedication to fair play. These athletes turn to such ergogenic aids as steroids in the hope of gaining mass and building strength. There are others who rely on human growth hormone for enhanced performance. Whereas it is true that these substances present benefits, the athletes need to recognize that they risk their health. Steroids have been linked to a number of serious medical issues. These issues range from high cholesterol to prostate cancer. When considering using steroids, athletes and the general public should understand that they risk ill health. It is also important for regulators and government agencies to revamp their efforts so as to rid sports of such unfair and underhand practices as the use of performance-enhancing substances.
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