Why mustn’t adolescents abuse steroids?

Leslie Henderson cares about teenagers. She is troubled because many teenagers use anabolic steroids which may be dangerous for them. These medicines may make teenagers aggressive. Furthermore, steroids may affect various systems of users. According to Leslie Henderson, the most dangerous aspect connected with usage of these medications by adolescents is following: these medications influence on the brain negatively. They destroy not only functions of the brain; they also alter the way it works.
Anabolic steroids have been introduced in order to cure several health disorders. These medicines can promote development of secondary male features in males with delayed puberty. They are able to prevent muscle loss in individuals that suffer from HIV/AIDS and other health problems. But these medications are also widely abused. They are applied for enhancement of muscle mass and energy. When doctors recommend taking steroids to treat certain health problems, they prescribe relatively reduced quantities that don’t cause serious unwanted results. When these products are administered for performance-enhancing effects, doses are increased. But it is important to know that enhanced quantities may cause dangerous adverse consequences.
Non-therapeutic administration of steroids is very dangerous for adolescents. Their systems have not been yet developed. That’s why these medicines may produce irreversible changes in them. Steroids may destroy their physical as well psychological health of adolescents. As a result, adverse results of steroids are manifested in them not only during adolescence but also when they grow up. If adult persons abuse steroids, they usually don’t suffer from such prolonged grave undesirable consequences, as adolescents experience. That’s why Leslie Henderson and other specialists confirm that it is important to warn teenagers about negative impact of steroids on them. They should know about all possible risks. If teenagers know about severe adverse consequences of steroids, they will probably stop applying these drugs for improvement of physique and performance.

What promotes fat storage?

A recent research has displayed that glucocorticosteroids promote increasing fat deposits. These compounds have direct influence on androgen receptors that reduce body fat deposits.
This study may be useful in our era, when many people experience obesity. According to statements of some specialists, it is necessary to lower amount of glucocorticosteroids in order to prevent or treat obesity.
When specialists conducted this research, they had the following goal: they tried to comprehend ways, causes and stages of development of fat deposits. Basing upon results of the research, the specialists have confirmed that androgen receptors should be activated in order to lower fat storage. Thus, obesity could be treated even at the early stages of development.
The androgen testosterone binds itself to androgen receptors. Thus, androgen receptors become able to manage development of muscle mass, enhance defined muscles, etc.
According to the research, glucocorticosteroids lower activity of androgen receptors. Thus, they become unable to control development of muscle mass and decrease of fat accumulation. That’s why especially abdominal parts become fatty.
The experts claim that this study has ability to induce elaborating new methods to cure and prevent obesity. The new treatment strategies will be related to glucocorticosteroids and androgen receptors.

British citizens have to obtain steroids from underground labs

British people are not allowed to order steroids online. Importation of steroids into the UK is considered to be illicit under a new amendment to the steroid law. Those that live in the UK and import steroids into the country are punished. But British people may freely get, possess and administer steroids.
According to the “personal custody”, those who arrived to London for the 2012 Olympic Games were allowed to import steroids for personal use. It was not considered to be illegal under British laws. Nevertheless, those that live inside the UK don’t have any right to purchase steroids at online pharmacies and import them from other countries to the UK.
Earlier British citizens were allowed to obtain steroids from outside the country. The amendment was recommended by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) in order to protect health of those that use steroids. But could the amendment do it?
A lot of underground labs produce anabolic steroids inside the UK. They prosper on account of the amendment. But it is necessary to consider that a lot of underground labs manufacture fake steroids. Thus, British citizens have to acquire steroids of low quality because it is forbidden to import steroids which are produced outside the country by safe pharmaceutical companies.
The government informed Needle-Syringe Program (NSP) workers that they would have to work more. It was noted that the amendment would increase the number of steroid users.
Actually, the amendment is likely to influence on health of steroid users negatively. Steroid-using sportspersons and bodybuilders may get grave undesirable results because they switch from quality steroids manufactured by trustworthy pharmaceutical companies to worse products produced by underground labs located in the UK.

Basing on Wikipedia, feds claim that steroids represent evil

Federal prosecutors don’t possess sufficient knowledge about anabolic steroids, however they pursue those that manufacture, apply and/or distribute these medications. They don’t read scientific literature about these drugs. The government utilizes information that is provided in Wikipedia. However feds speak about negative reactions of steroids, they don’t know about these conditions sufficiently. Citing affirmations about steroids provided in Wikipedia, they punish users/manufacturers/distributors of these products, affirming that these medicines represent evil.
Certain important questions appear here: Is it fair to base upon affirmations presented in Wikipedia in such situations? Are these statements true? Aren’t they exposed to manipulations? Aren’t they mixed with individual opinions of sponsors?
Maurice Hall, the associate professor of communication and culture at Villanova University, affirms that it is not reasonable to base completely upon affirmations presented in Wikipedia. He confirms that Wikipedia serves an excellent guide for footnotes. But statements written in Wikipedia may be not true wholly.
For example, when John Isaac Hudelson was sentenced to jail, federal prosecutors based their conclusions related to illicit deals of this person upon statements cited from Wikipedia. Federal prosecutors claimed that Hudelson deserved to serve 47-54 months in jail because he used and distributed steroids. Stephen Greubel, the defense attorney for Hudelson, affirmed that 47-54 months in prison were too much for his client. He claimed that Hudelson sold steroids, medicines which differed from such drugs, as amphetamine, methamphetamine, codeine, morphine, etc. The defense attorney noticed that steroids didn’t lead to addiction.
Federal prosecutors confirmed that John Isaac Hudelson manufactured, applied and distributed steroids to his friends. They claimed that while steroids didn’t lead to addiction, desire to become muscular could be addictive. Moreover, they added that steroids could cause dangerous undesirable effects. All statements of federal prosecutors were based upon those provided in Wikipedia.
Ultimately, the government sent Isaac John Hudelson to 37-month imprisonment.

Tyler Hamilton’s book is valuable for athletes

Tyler Hamilton and Daniel Coyle have written a book linked with usage of EPO and anabolic steroids. Guidelines provided in the book can serve as a proof that Lance Armstrong used prohibited medicines. The book has been entitled following: “The Secret Race: Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France: Doping, Cover-ups, and Winning at all Costs”. The book contains instructions related to intake of EPO and steroids in cycling and methods to avoid detection. It shows that drug testing is inefficacious in this sport.
Tyler Hamilton notes that sportspeople can administer steroids without being detected. The author notices that the WADA doesn’t have any chance to win. Hamilton indicates weakness of the WADA in testing sportspersons for prohibited medicines.
According to Hamilton, it is easy to avoid detection while using EPO. It is needed to apply the procedure “microdosing”. What does it actually mean? Athletes should not introduce 2,000 Units of EPO under the skin each 3rd or 4th day. They must inject 400-500 Units of EPO every 3rd or 4th night into veins. This method is called “microdosing”. Using this way of intake, sportpersons can avoid detection without any trouble.
Since microdosing is a suitable way to avoid detection while taking EPO, this method must be appropriate in case of steroid use too. Thus, Tyler Hamilton suggests that cyclists and other sportspersons can avoid detection while administering anabolic steroids. He provides recommendations connected with this issue in details in the book.  The author describes how it is possible to hit tests of anti-doping system.
In fact, it is unlikely that tips provided in Tyler’s book will alter essence of cycling. While elaboration of the biological passport by anti-doping agencies can’t stop doping, introduction of microdosing into usage of EPO is not the new beginning of doping in cycling. Tips of Hamilton may modify just the essence of doping in this sport. Intake of performance-enhancing drugs is a part of cycling. Let see the truth. Like Santa Claus doesn’t exist at the high level.

What are steroids effective for?

There are three classes of steroids: corticosteroids, estrogens and progestogens, and anabolic-androgenic steroids.
Nature of corticosteroids is similar to that of hormones produced in the adrenal cortex. Corticosteroids may be in form of creams, ointment, inhalation drugs, etc. They are recommended to cure inflammations, allergy, illnesses of respiratory, nervous, musculoskeletal and other systems.
Estrogens and progestogens are female sex hormones. These substances induce developing female secondary features. Birth control pills contain these compounds.
Anabolic-androgenic steroids are medications that are also widely used in medicine. They are able to treat certain types of breast cancer, testicular cancer, anemia, etc. These medicines are often prescribed to get better and faster recovery after several operations. Burn victims, persons with HIV/AIDS utilize anabolic-androgenic steroids for prevention of muscle loss. Some steroids are also indicated to cure osteoporosis. These medications are also applied for treatment of infertility.
Furthermore, anabolic-androgenic steroids are used for athletic purposes. These medications are capable to build muscles and induce increasing stamina. That’s why numerous sportspeople and bodybuilders use them for performance-enhancing effects. Several anabolic-androgenic steroids are able also to promote loosing fat, making muscles defined.
Usage of anabolic-androgenic steroids for non-therapeutic purposes is illegal under laws of several countries. Those who manufacture, sell, purchase and administer these drugs illegally may be sentenced to prison and/or fines. These medications belong to illicit preparations in certain countries because they may lead to various adverse results. While certain adverse effects are insignificant and disappear after discontinuation of intake, others are sever and even irreversible. Those that want to receive benefits, administering steroids for medical purposes, should apply these preparations under guidelines of physicians.

It is better for Anna Watson to refuse $75000 contract than to use steroids

When it is said about cheerleaders, we imagine brisk and thin women. But we should realize that sometimes the reality differs from our imagination. Anna Watson is an example in this case. She has great muscles. But she is very pretty.
Elite Model Management offered her a $75000 contract. But she refused to obtain it. In fact, it is surprisingly because many ladies desire to obtain such contracts. But she didn’t agree to obtain it because she had to take steroids for this need.
When Anna Watson entered Hawaii Pacific University, she started weight lifting. The lady trained intensively and consumed circa 3000 calorie daily. Ultimately she could lift 230 pounds. But her weight was not enough to get a modeling fitness contract. Although she consumed much protein, she could not get needed pounds.
A modeling agent claimed that Anavar could help her to increase weight. Anna Watson was required to gain 50 pounds in order to obtain the contract. So, she started using Anavar in order to increase body mass. The cheerleader was eating “forever”, even if she didn’t feel hunger. Despites of her efforts, diet and administration of the steroid Anavar, she was not able to gain 50 pounds. The cheerleader added only 10 pounds.
Anna Watson is a religious person. She belongs to a local church. Ultimately, she made a decision to ask a weight lifting champion for recommendations. Hugh Kirby who is also a member of the church has advised her to be far from administration of steroids. He noted that these medicines could cause different adverse results. This man also mentioned that steroids could lead to infertility. Thus, Hugh Kirby said that it would be better to refuse the contract instead of experiencing health troubles, especially infertility.
Thus, the cheerleader Anna Watson didn’t agree to obtain the contract. But she decided to continue her workouts. The cheerleader dreams to become a personal trainer.
In fact, Anna Watson made a correct decision. It is reasonable to keep female characteristics without a modeling contract instead of obtaining the contract and suffering from signs of masculinization on account of steroid use.

It is important to punish steroid dealers properly

Although it is illegal to distribute anabolic steroids in some countries, certain steroid dealers are not punished appropriately. For example, lately two persons who sold steroids illegally were not sentenced to imprisonment. They were sentenced only to work several hours. Although these persons advertised and sold steroids per internet, they avoided prison successfully. These persons distributed drugs which could destroy health of users. That’s why they had to be sanctioned more harshly.
A lot of users of steroids don’t know anything about risks linked with them. They don’t know that intake of steroids may lead to some health problems. It is important to take into account that some steroids are aromatizable. It means that they may convert into estrogen, increasing levels of this hormone. As a result, male users of such steroids may experience abnormal development of breast tissues, abnormal fat distribution, water retention, etc. Of course, gynecomastia is very unpleasant effect for men. Sometimes it can’t be cured with products. So, it may require an operation.
Some steroids are dangerous for women. They may cause effects of virilization in them. So, certain females that use androgenic steroids have deep voice, excessive hair growth on the body, baldness, menstrual irregularities, infertility, etc.
A lot of steroids are liver-toxic. They may cause liver disorders. If anyone has had liver troubles before application of steroids, these drugs may lead to more serious complications.
Nonetheless, no one can doubt about positive effects which can be obtained owing to intake of steroids. These drugs promote developing new muscle tissues. They also increase existing muscles. Moreover, these drugs help to gain strength. Certain steroids promote fat burning, making muscle more defined.
Although potential benefits of steroids are amazing, it is necessary to consider potential undesirable reactions. It is affirmed that steroids may cause depression and uncontrolled aggressiveness. So, certain users of these drugs commit various crimes. While several consumers may commit suicides, others violate, kill other individuals.
Steroids may cause also other undesirable consequences that are not enumerated in the article. People should be aware of what they use. Those who distribute these products illegally should be sentenced appropriately.

Steroids play great role in football

Many articles note about administration of steroids in baseball. Sportswriters and journalists describe steroid scandals that take place in this sport. It is often debated about steroid era in baseball. MLB players are subjected to numerous drug tests. It seems that every person interested in sports blames baseball players for application of performance-enhancing drugs. Do only baseball players take steroids and other related preparations? What do you believe about football players? Don’t they dope? Why do we demonize just baseball players for intake of prohibited drugs?
Intake of doping products is widespread among football players. Since 1960s intake of performance-enhancing drugs plays a great role in this sport. It is impossible to imagine football without administration of steroids and other related medications.
Strength and size are important aspects in football. Certain people consider that football players possess great strength only because of hard workouts and appropriate diets. But it is a wrong opinion. Many football players administer banned preparations in order to acquire strength and enhance increasing muscle size.
As you notice, application of banned products is widespread among football players. Nevertheless, baseball players are more widely demonized for usage of steroids and other doping products. Such baseball players, as Jose Canseco, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds were subjected to public shame on account of doping. But such football players, as Lyle Alzado, Shawne Merriman, Chris Cooper and Thomas Romanowski, also applied forbidden products. Nevertheless, they were not so widely criticized, as dopers in baseball.
Moreover, it is important to take in consideration that application of steroids is more dangerous in football.
It is supposed that football is unlikely to be cleaned from doping.

Teens take steroids to be as celebrated, as famous athletes

Adolescents’ addiction to anabolic steroids becomes a great problem nowadays. Why do adolescents administer these medicines? They do it in order to increase their muscles, lower fat deposits and make muscles hard. They desire to be more attractive. Actually, teenagers administer these products because they desire to look like models, sports stars and heroes. Since teens desire to be celebrated so, as well-known sportspersons are, they try to improve their physique and performance with anabolic steroids.
But teenagers don’t take in consideration several important factors under this circumstance. Firstly, professional sportspersons and bodybuilders ask specialists for recommendations. Thus, health care providers indicate how they should administer steroids. That’s why intake of anabolic steroids by famous athletes is relatively safe. As for adolescents, they don’t know what they administer; they don’t know how steroids should be taken. Secondly, the process of development is not over in adolescents. That’s why steroids may be unsafe for them. Anabolic steroids may damage functions of reproductive, cardiovascular and other systems in teenagers.
Unfortunately, many teens apply anabolic steroids. Several surveys of the Michigan University manifest that the number of steroid users in high schools continues to increase.
Moreover, it is not a problem to purchase these medications. High schools students buy steroids without substantial efforts.
As a result, several teenagers become addicted to steroids. While some adolescents try to stop applying these products, they can’t do it. In fact, it is quite difficult to escape from this addiction. Addicted consumers of steroids can’t stop applying these medications without help of high-qualified specialists. They must stay in special centers of rehabilitation where well-trained experts help them to escape from the addiction.
It is necessary to teach teens about risks linked with anabolic steroids. Adolescents should know not only about benefits of these medications. They should be taught also about negative consequences of these preparations. If schoolchildren and high school students are not taught about dark sides of steroids, they will use these medicines. Finally, their systems will be destructed. If the society doesn’t worry about teens, they will suffer from many health problems.

Anti-doping system becomes more sophisticated

While athletes that dope seek new methods to avoid detection, anti-doping agencies introduce new tools in order to catch those that take forbidden products. One of new tools introduced into anti-doping system is biological passport. It helps to define whether a sportsperson has administered any banned medication. The biological passport measures certain biomarkers that can indicate whether an individual has taken certain substances. So, it can measure hemoglobin levels. Unexplained low or high hemoglobin levels may indicate doping. So, the biological passport determines physical changes that play essential role in detection.
It is evident that anti-doping policy becomes more sophisticated. It elaborates new tools to catch dopers and make sports free from doping.
If you compare drug tests which have been used earlier with those that are applied today, you may understand that the difference is essential. Anti-doping efforts are significant. Drug testing becomes more progressive.
It was also elaborated a test for detection of CERA. This product was originally developed in order to treat anemia linked with kidney diseases. Since earlier there was not any drug test that could determine metabolites of this substance, Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain avoided detection at the Beijing Olympics. Recently his sample was re-tested by this new test. Anti-doping officers defined that this sportsman had applied CERA. As a result, Rashid Ramzi lost his awards.
Earlier it was hard and even quite impossible to catch those who used HGH. Lately a blood test for this drug was also elaborated.
Another new drug test, known as Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry, was also recently introduced. This test helps to determine whether testosterone has been administered from outsides or it has been secreted in the body naturally.
Thus, anti-doping system is more progressive today. Anti-doping officials hope that they will be capable to clean sports from intake of performance-enhancing drugs.

Athletes should be allowed to use whatever they want

The cyclist Lance Armstrong never tested positive for any banned substance. But the sportsman forfeited his seven Tour de France titles because the USADA claimed that he had doped.
You may notice that usage of forbidden preparations is claimed to be a last sin of professional sportspersons. They are suspended, if they are found guilty or just suspected of doping.
For example, Dwain Chambers, a British sprinter, was banned because he tested positive for tetrahydrogestrinone. This sportsman claimed that he was not the only Olympic  sprinter who used steroids. According to his statements, numerous runners of the US racing team used prohibited medicines.
Several persons are probably bothered by reading articles about war on administration of prohibited products in sports. It seems that the battle never ends. However anti-doping agencies put great efforts in order to eradicate doping from competitive sports, many sportspersons continue taking forbidden medications. It is impossible to eradicate doping. It seems that it is better to legalize administration of doping products. Let sportspersons take whatever they want!
Athletes break greater records from one year to another. It will be needed to measure thousandths of a second in order to determine who the winner is. It seems that it will be impossible to determine with a naked eye the fastest sprinters. That’s why certain specialists fear that it will be very difficult to keep sports interesting.
Certain specialists realize that anti-doping policies fail. Sportspersons that have never tested positive for any forbidden medicine are banned. Drug tests are not able to promote catching those that administer steroids and/or other performance-enhancing drugs.
Doping is an inseparable part of sports. Almost each athlete that won Tour de France was involved in a doping case.
Fans have great expectations. Athletes should push their bodies till the limits in order to win. They have to use steroids and/or other performance-enhancing drugs in order to keep their reputations and not disappoint fans. The society should be demonized for athletes’ doping. Not only athletes should be blamed for intake of prohibited medicines. The society creates such culture where athletes can’t win without administration of certain preparations. That’s why it is necessary to discontinue blaming athletes. It is better to allow doping in sports. Every sport must compose own list of banned products. Only medications that are harmful to certain sport itself must be prohibited. Let take boxing as an example. This sport must ban just those medicines that withdraw fear because removing of fear in this sport is against its nature.

High demand of testosterone products

It is believed that steroid scandals must have negative influence on pharmaceutical companies that produce these products. But manufacturers of these preparations find methods to take advantages of various steroid scandals. So, pharmaceutical companies use them in order to promote selling own drugs.
Let take as an example the case of the government and anti-doping officials against the former MLB player Barry Bonds. However one may think that this steroid scandal must suppress purchase of certain preparations, the reality has displayed opposite things. The pharmaceutical company Abbott Laboratories could avail itself of the case. The company found many opportunities to promote selling transdermal testosterone because of the accusations connected with Barry Bonds’ doping.
It was confirmed that Barry Bonds utilized the testosterone gel “AndroGel”. Undoubtedly, numerous sportswriters published articles about this case. The pharmaceutical company Abbott Laboratories utilized this public situation and started to advertise this product. Many Barry Bonds’ fans started purchasing and administering this gel. This situation influenced on profits of the company essentially. According to certain sources, the profits of the company turned out to be great.
Testosterone products are widely recommended and taken. Numerous people use them for hormone replacement therapy. The number of steroid prescriptions has enhanced by 90 % during last five years. Thus, the number of those that use steroids is growing.
The pharmaceutical company Abbott Laboratories manufactures and sells the transdermal testosterone product “AndroGel”. Since other companies saw that testosterone gel was in high demand, they also began to manufacture it. Thus, such medicines, as  AndroDream and Axiron, appeared. While AndroDream is manufactured by Watson Pharmaceuticals, Axiron is offered for sale by Eli Lilly.
Pharmaceutical companies promote selling their preparations. They claim that steroids have positive influence on men’s health. Of course, any company realizes that since a lot of men suffer from testosterone deficiency and since these drugs are used for gaining of muscle mass and energy, the number of potential clients is great.

Valuable research linked with inhaled steroids

Inhaled corticosteroids are preparations that are applied in case of asthma by children and adults. Individuals that experience mild, moderate and severe asthma take these preparations every day. These preparations prevent inflammation of the airways. Health care providers supervise persons with this disease, adjusting dosage schedule each 6 weeks.
Unfortunately, inhaled corticosteroids, like other preparations, may cause unwanted consequences. Regular administration of these medications is connected with several risks. Is there any way for individuals with asthma to prevent these problems?
A recent research has demonstrated that doctors should not recommend taking these products daily to individuals with mild-to-moderate asthma. This study turned out to be very valuable. It is likely to alter guidelines linked with treatment of asthma.
The study was conducted by doctors of the Texas Medical Brach in Galveston. The physician William Calhoun and his colleagues enrolled 340 persons with asthma in the research. Certain individuals were given inhaled corticosteroids daily; others applied these medicines, when symptoms of asthma attacks appeared. Bronchial reactivity and functions of lungs were measured by the doctors during nine months. The results of the study manifested that there was not any significant difference between these two groups.
According to the specialists, if inhaled corticosteroids are used, when symptoms occur, exacerbation can be prevented. Moreover, these products have prolonged action. It means that positive effects are felt even several days after usage. The specialists suppose that these medications may be taken by individuals with mild-to-moderate asthma only when symptoms appear.
Why is this research valuable? According to certain sources, 25 million Americans suffer from asthma. Undoubtedly, they must be treated. This piece of news must be valuable for them. Moreover, if inhaled corticosteroids are administered prolonged period of time, they may lead to severe negative reactions, such as hormonal imbalance, cataract, etc. Thus, if persons with mild-to-moderate asthma don’t use these products each day, they are more unlikely to get these negative results.
Undoubtedly, it is early to change recommendations connected with treatment of asthma. But this research may serve as a basis for further studies which may lead to several changes.