A Struggle for Size Athletic competition has been part of society since the early beginnings of man. Gladiators, wrestlers, and sprinters are some the early types of athletes that competed. Mankind seems to have been born with a desire to compete; every man feels the need to have dominance over another man. These facts are even apparent in today's society. Now there are all kinds of sports to choose from, and many of these sports are played at a professional level. However, some athletes resort to drugs to improve their performance on the field, ice, or court. More athletes are putting themselves at risk by using these drugs, it is important to know that anabolic steroids not only are illegal, but it also can have serious side effects.
What are Steroids? The word steroid, all by itself, really means any of countless substances with a particular chemical shape. For instance estrogen and cortisone are steroids. This causes no end of confusion, because the steroid crisis currently ravaging pro sports mostly concerns one type of steroid in particular: so-called anabolic-androgenic steroids. Anabolic means that the steroid builds muscle and skeletal tissue; androgenic means it affects male characteristics. They are used to by athletes who want a shortcut to become bigger and stronger. .
We are all born with a steroid that boosts both: the hormone and testosterone. Most of the muscle-building steroids used by athletes consist of either testosterone, some synthesized likeness, or a so- called precursor that is metabolized as testosterone in the body. Steroids can build a tremendous amount of muscle tissue; scientists have found that steroids can make the body as much as 50 percent more muscular than is possible without them. The athletes to benefit most from this use are the ones that strength is important to. For instance, in baseball they probably will not help you hit the ball more often but they"ll certainly help you hit them farther.