In September 1998, Mark McGwire made history by hitting a sixty-second home run. Some weeks earlier many people suspected Mark McGwire of using androstenedione, a compound that boosts levels of the male sex hormone (Bamerger and Yaeger 7). Mark McGwire had been taking a legal drug to improve his power of lifting. He wanted to raise his testosterone level to reach Roger Maris's record in baseball. The Major League Baseball Committee did not take away his record, but many fans did not think that he deserved such a great accomplishment (Bamerger and Yaegar 7). As the years go by, baseball stats are being blown out of proportion, and the history records are written unfairly. If it is okay for athletes to take steroids, then why are steroids illegal in the United States? An athlete should work hard to accomplish his goal, not to destroy his future. Taking steroids does not only affect the one that is taking them, but also the fan that has great respect for pro-athletes. Every athlete wants to have an advantage on his competition, but what is he willing to do to get it? In all sports, there are different type steroids being used. Also, steroids can be used for medical purposes.
There are different side effects when one is taking steroids. .
First there are three major types of steroids used in sports today. One is androstenedione. It is an androgenic pro-hormone similar to DHEA, which is naturally produced in both men and women. Therefore, athletes are using andro for power lifting and to ensure that their level of hormones are normal at all times ("Andorstenedione"). The second most commonly used is Deca-Durablin. It is used to develop size and strength in a short amount of time. Deca-Durablin is the steroid choice for bodybuilders and athletes because of its ability to develop muscle and decrease body fat level. However, it stays in the body up to 18 months. If athletes have used Deca-Durablin and got drug tested, more than likely they will get caught ("Prohormones").
