Part One in a Series

angioedema, and to stimulate the bone marrow in patients with unusual and rare animals. 3. IF ANABOLIC STEROIDS BUILD MUSCLE, ISN’T THAT ENDURANCE?

Even though use of Anabolic Steroids causes weight gain and enlargement of muscle, most scientific evidence does not show that strength, endurance or agility are enhanced. In fact, the muscle produced by Anabolic Steroids has a higher concentration of water and salt, making the muscle look larger, but the muscles may be weakened by too much water and salt. This also leads to increased injuries like tendonitis and ruptured tendons and ligaments. 4, THEN WHY DO SOME ATHLETES TAKE THEM?

Some athletes are convinced that Anabolic Steroids do increase performance and that without use of these drugs, they won’t be competitive. It is irrelevant to Stefan Fernholm — Olympic Discus Thrower: “Steroids argue the point. The key point is that even if they do are really overrated. You become great by a lot of hard work, all the other effects of these drugs must be smart work in the weight room and combining that with accepted as well. technique, flexibility, sprints and plyometric training.”

Note:

Committee has prepared a brochure on Substance Abuse. Presented here are exerpts from that brochure. Their Drug Control Hotline is 1-800-2330393, 5.

GROWTH HORMONE SAFE TO USE?

No. Use of the Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is also considered doping by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee. 6. WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF USING HGH? Side effects are many and well documented. Not only does HGH cause muscle growth but it also causes growth of other body tissues, i.e., increase in skin 1. WHAT ABOUT ANABOLIC STEROIDS? thickness, internal organs, bones, and facial features. It Anabolic Steroids are drugs that act like testosterone, the also increases laxity of muscles and the protective fat hormone. surrounding the abdominal organs and, when present in excess of normal levels, causes disease, acromegaly, development in normal males.

The abuse of Anabolic which consists of changes in the head and skull, Steroids may result in increased body hair, deepening of enlargement of fingers, ears, nose and toes, diabetes, the voice, decreased sperm production and liver disease. mellitus, heart disease, thyroid disease, menstrual Many of the masculinizing changes also occur in the disorders, decreased sexual desire, impotence, and female and are apt to be irreversible once experienced. shortened life span.

2.

7.

TEST?

HEALTHY PEOPLE?

Every occasion for drug-testing has a pre-planned Anabolic Steroids promote protein synthesis necessary method for selecting athletes. In most cases, testing will to develop muscle tissue. They have been used in cancer be on a random basis and not just for the medalists. At and debilitated patients where a deficiency is present, the Olympic Trials, every athlete who is apt to make the but their use has generally been discontinued because of team, even as an alternate, will be tested. severe (liver and heart) side effects.

The only generally accepted therapeutic uses of Anabolic Steroids is to bring a testosterone deficient male back to normal, to 1750 East Boulder Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80909 treat certain advanced cases of breast cancer, to treat a

From BFS Magazine — May/June 1988. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).