The Research Behind Consumus

Steroids

Can there be such a thing as reverse anorexia? Can someone become so obsessed with bodily perfection that they become a compulsive exerciser? It is ever so present in today's society. People see perfect, flawless images of athletes, celebrities, body builders and other people at their gym and exert on themselves a false reality. They build their body for the wrong reasons and often go to extreme methods to do so.

An increasing problem today in males is the abuse of steroids. Atheletes and others abuse anabolic steroids to propel their performance and enhance their physical appearance.

Some gender-specific side effects of steroids are:

  • For men — shrinking of the testicles, reduced sperm count, infertility, baldness, development of breasts, increased risk for prostate cancer. *
  • For women — growth of facial hair, male-pattern baldness, changes in or cessation of the menstrual cycle, enlargement of the clitoris, deepened voice. *
  • For adolescents — growth halted prematurely through premature skeletal maturation and accelerated puberty changes. This means that adolescents risk remaining short for the remainder of their lives if they take anabolic steroids before the typical adolescent growth spurt. *

* (NIDA InfoFacts: Steroids, 2005)

Most people know the general side effects of steroids, but what they might not know is that people who inject steroids run the risk of contracting hepatitis or HIV. (Drug Facts, 2005) Some develop withdrawal symptoms which can lead to depression. The depression can lead to suicide attempts. (Drug Facts, 2005)

Additional statistics about steroids are listed below.

    Is this what a man is suppose to look like?
  • In 2004, a survey showed that 1.9% of eighth graders, 2.4% of tenth graders, and 3.4% of twelfth graders reported using steroids at least once in their lifetimes. *
  • 19.7% of eighth graders, 29.6% of tenth graders, and 42.6% of twelfth graders surveyed in 2004 reported that steroids were "fairly easy" or "very easy" to obtain. *

* (Drug Facts, 2005)

RESOLUTION

Participate in the discussion of this topic.
1. Find a drug rehab treatment center for steroid abuse.
2. Know all the facts about steroids from the NDA and Office of National Drug Control Policy

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

(If you have an article that you would like to contribute, and is relative to the current topic please submit.)
1. NIDA InfoFacts: Steroids
2. Steroids Overview
3. A Life of Doping

REFERENCES
1. http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/steroids/index.html. Office of National Drug Control Policy. 2005
2. http://www.drugabuse.gov/infofacts/steroids.html. BNIDA InfoFacts: Steroids (Anabolic-Androgenic). 2005

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