I wrote a paper on anabolic steroids. Can you guys proofread and check for errors for me : )
Gregg Valentino, an Italian-American bodybuilder, once had the largest arms in the world. As a young man, Valentino was an active bodybuilder, but was never satisfied with his size. As a result, he quickly turned to substances such as testosterone, and Boldenone (an anabolic steroid) to enhance his muscle mass and soon gave up professional bodybuilding altogether, instead making his goal to simply get as large as possible. As time progressed, Valentino's fascination with large muscles caused serious health problems. He developed a massive hematoma in his arm, and he was selling steroids illegally. He was almost killed in the process by a drug lord. He has served months in prison for possessing and selling drugs.
Anabolic steroids, an amazing medical drug, was banned for unsupported reasoning's, creating criminal scenario's, misconceptions, and diminishing utility. Steroids were created by curious scientists who worked to maximize its utility (its benefits). In the mid-1930s German scientists isolated androstenedione and inadvertently converted it to what is now know as testosterone. Since the discovery, "various research groups have made modifications to the basic structure of testosterone and produce a range of closely related compounds that are marketed as anabolic steroids" (Lenehan 4). The original modifications were mostly attempts to isolate the anabolic hormone from the androgenic (2). The anabolic hormone increases the growth of the body's tissues and bones (2). The Androgenic hormone deepens the voice and produces excess hair (2). Further research, however, has showed that both hormones have good and bad side effects (3). Eventually scientist were able to manipulate it so that anabolic steroids increase muscle and bone growth with a variety of other positive effects with minimal unwanted effects (4). This drug became more useful in the medical field than its inventors could have predicted.
There are many beneficial medical uses for anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids reduce recovery time by blocking the effects of the stress hormone in the body, cortisol, on muscle tissue. As a result, deterioration of the body's muscle mass is greatly reduced. Some examples of the anabolic effects of these hormones include increased protein synthesis from amino acids, increased muscle mass and strength,(Schroeder)(Grunfeld) increased appetite, increased bone remodeling and growth, as well as stimulation of bone marrow increasing production of red blood cells. Furthermore, Anabolic steroids are used for children with growth failure, and for people with chronic wasting conditions such as cancer and AIDS to help increase their appetite, and preserve and increase their muscle mass (Giorgi). They are given to many boys distressed about extreme delay of puberty, and have been shown to increase height, weight, and fat free mass in boys with delayed puberty (Arslanian). Anabolic steroids have been shown to help fight many age related problems in elderly men including increasing lean body mass and decreasing bone resorption (Harman). They are even used in hormone replacement therapy for men with low levels of testosterone (Arver).
When my cousin was born he had a bad liver and was going to die unless he received a liver from a donor. He did get a new liver, but he was still going to die because his body was not strong enough to handle the new liver. The miracle drug was their only option, and after continued use his organs strengthened and his life was saved by anabolic steroids. He is fifteen years old now and plays baseball for his high school and for a travel team. The steroids did not cause any harmful side effects and he will be able to live a full healthy life. Although steroids have many benefits, they can also cause health problems if not used correctly.
Side effects can occur from improper use and tainted versions of anabolic steroids. An overdose of anabolic steroids can cause many unwanted side effects. The most common side effects are elevated blood pressure, (Grace) and increased cholesterol levels (Tokar). Testosterone can also cause an increase in risk of cardiovascular disease(Barrett) or coronary artery disease in men with high risk of bad cholesterol (Bagatell). Acne is fairly common among anabolic steroid users, mostly due to the increases in testosterone which can cause stimulation of the glands (Melnik). They can accelerate the rate of premature baldness for those who are genetically predisposed. In addition, liver damage can be caused by high doses of oral anabolic steroids, which are the steroids you get from a pill (Giannitrapani). The use of a dirty needle can cause infections and consequently you may get a hematoma. These side effects can be dangerous; however, most of these issues could be prevented if steroids were legal.
When you make a product illegal and there is a demand for it, a black market will always appear. When people purchase steroids from the black market they are taking a big risk. Anabolic steroids purchased through the black market may be counterfeit. The product could contain no steroid at all and instead be filled with poison. MJ Walter states, "Anabolic steroid products found in the illegal market are primarily oil-based injectables or tablets and often do not contain the ingredients declared on the label" (1). Even if it does contain the legitimate drug, you do not have doctors that can tell you how much you should take or if you are healthy enough to use them. Crime also appears in the black market because businessmen are not going to want to be involved in illegal trade, so instead gangs will be the dealers. If steroids were legal, they could be sold by the pharmacy and you would need a doctor's prescription to obtain them. Your doctor could tell you where to inject the fluid and how much and how often you should take them. Most importantly, you would always be guaranteed to get the real drug rather than a tainted version.
Steroids are illegal in America and banned in most sports. In the United States, the U.S. Congress placed anabolic steroids into Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act in the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990. The act was amended on January 20, 2005, with the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004. This amendment placed anabolic steroids on the list of controlled substances, making possession of the banned substances without a prescription a federal crime punishable by up to seven years in prison (DEA). Anabolic steroids are banned by all major sports bodies including the Olympics, the NBA, the NHL, as well as the NFL. The World Anti-Doping Agency maintains the list of performance-enhancing substances used by many major sports bodies and includes all anabolic agents, which includes all anabolic steroids and precursors as well as all hormones and related substances.(WADA)
There are many misconceptions associated with anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids have been at the center of controversy and because of this, there are many myths concerning their effects and side effects. One common misconception purveyed in popular culture and the media is the myth that anabolic steroids are highly dangerous and users' mortality rates are high. Anabolic steroids are used widely in the medical field without any serious health risks to users, and no scientific evidence has shown any long-term serious health defects from proper use of anabolic steroids. While risk of death is present in many drugs, the risk of premature death from use of anabolic steroids seems to be extremely low (Fudala). It is possible this myth gained popularity from claims that Lyle Alzado, a once famous professional football player, died from brain cancer caused by anabolic steroids. Alzado himself had claimed that his cancer was caused by anabolic steroids. However, there is no medical evidence supporting the claim that anabolic steroids can cause brain cancer let alone the type of T-cell lymphoma he suffered from. Moreover, Alzado's doctors stated that anabolic steroids did not contribute to his death (Gumbel). Increased aggression, also known as roid rage, may also be a myth. Many scientists and medical professionals have concluded anabolic steroids have no real effect on increased aggressive behavior (Pope) (Tricker) (O'Connor).
There has been a movement to try to decriminalize steroids. In July 2005 Philip Sweitzer, an attorney and author, published an open letter to the Members of the House Committee on Government Reform, and the Senate Committee on Commerce. In it, he criticized lawmakers' actions in scheduling anabolic steroids, as well as criticized their "disregard of scientific reality for symbolic effect"(Sweitzer). He also pleaded for the consideration of the decriminalization of anabolic steroids and asked for a new policy direction. Several other legal reviewers have criticized controlled substance status for anabolic steroids, including lawyer Rick Collins. Collins opposes non-medical teen steroid use or steroid use to cheat in sports, but advocates wider discretion for physicians in the case of mature adults. In 2006, he argued at "PUMPED", a steroid seminar in Manhattan, that the risks associated with anabolic steroids in the media are overtly biased as well as incredibly misinformed. He also argues that anabolic steroid criminalization increases the risks associated with anabolic steroids due to impurities in the black market (Collins). However, the U.S. government's position has remained adamant, and they refuse to debate the legality of anabolic steroids.
Valintino's story is often used as the premier example of why steroids should remain illegal, but in reality his story does the contrary. Gregg Valentino may have suffered as a result of steroids, but he is responsible for the suffering-not the steroids. The hematoma was not a side effect of Anabolic steroids. Valentino did not take the necessary precautions and one day dropped a needle on the ground and stuck it in his arm. The dirty needle created the infection -- not the drug. If Anabolic steroids were legal, his involvement in drug dealing would not have been necessary because doctors would be able to control the dose of steroids people use and inject them safely. I personally believe that anabolic steroids should be legal by prescription to anyone over the age of eighteen as long as a doctor monitors the health of their patients. We could all benefit from small doses of anabolic steroids and the demand from them would boost the economy and destroy the black market along with all the trouble it created.
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