With the start of the baseball season just around the corner, it is a shame to hear all the talk about a few of baseball’s famed players using performance-enhancing drugs- Anabolic-androgenic steroids. Baseball is not the only sport disgraced by steroid use. Cyclists, football players, track stars, and athletes in a variety of fields have used steroids. Just about any sport you can think of has been in the news exposing steroid use by one or more of its players at some point. Often we forget about the high school student who is under tremendous pressure to perform better on the field of their chosen sport. Sometimes a sports scholarship is on the line, or maybe it’s the approval of team mates, coaches or their parents. We often forget about those who do not play sports but are under the same types of pressure to look better, be stronger, and sexier. The young people in our community are at risk, and we need to be proactive by bringing awareness to parents, coaches, users and potential users.
The reasons for using steroids vary from person to person but the premise is all the same. People want to look better, grow bigger, perform better, and do it faster with less work. The young people in our communities are the students in your classrooms, those you coach, and even those living under your roofs. The dreams of our youth differ from those they idealize in that they are young and full of idealistic expectations of the world around them. If we do not teach them the importance of protecting their health, then who will?
Juice, Roids, Gym Candy, Pumpers, Balls or Bulls, or just A’s are some of the common street names associated with steroids. A few of their trade names are Winstrol, Quinolone, Equipose, Dihydrolone, Decadurabolin, and Anaxvar. These drugs come in different forms from liquids, to pills to injections. Many users will take different types of steroids in combination with other drugs which is known as “stacking”.
Short term signs and symptoms associated with steroid use are rapid weight gain, rapid muscular development, acne flare up (especially on the back), oily skin, fluid retention, mood swings, depression, and aggressive behavior. Young people often feel invincible, and steroid use can worsen these feelings causing them to use poor judgment that could lead to injury. Side effects of Anabolic Steroids for men are: development of breasts, male-pattern baldness, severe acne, oily skin, increased body hair, shrunken testicles, impotence, sleep disorders, muscle cramps and joint pain. Female side effects include: increased facial and body hair, severe acne, oily skin, lower voice, genital enlargement, reduction in breast tissue, and menstrual irregularities. The long term life threatening / altering conditions related to steroid use in adolescence range from stunted growth, liver diseases (including tumor growth, malignant cancers), cardiovascular disease, hypertension, clogging of the arteries, decreased sperm count, impotence, mental disorders including depression, paranoia, delusions, and addictions / dependency. The hazardous practice of needle sharing can lead to HIV, AIDS and Hepatitis B or C.
A 2006 study by the University of Michigan reported that 2.7% of high school seniors said they had tried steroids at least once in their lifetime. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 2007 study reported that 3.9% of high school students’ grades 9 – 12 answered yes to the following question: “Have you taken a steroid pill or shot without a doctor's prescription once or more in your lifetime?” It is important to discuss openly with teens about health risks and potential legal consequences of steroid use. Steroids are a schedule III controlled substance and being in possession without a prescription could carry a maximum 3 years imprisonment penalty if treated as an indictable offense.
If your teen is using steroids it is important to seek professional help from a healthcare provider. Sudden cessation from steroids can lead to withdrawal symptoms which could include fatigue, restlessness, insomnia, headaches, uncontrollable rage, and depression- including suicidal thoughts or actions.
Talk, watch and listen to those who matter in your life. Their life may depend on it!
Howard Baker, RN BSN
For questions, comments, or suggestions on topics you want to read about please email me at: howard@howardsbaker.com
Resources:
Healthy Competition – www.healthycompetitiontn.org
Mayo Clinic – www.mayoclinic.com
National Institute on Drug Abuse – www.nida.nih.gov
National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign – www.theantidrug.com
