Steroids - How Far Will You Go?

How far can you take muscle building? How far can you take it before it is too far? There is a price for those superficial muscles that you acquire from steroid use. There are many dangerous long term and short term effects that are associated with steroid abuse; and these dangers begin to take effect from the first time you take it - whether it is taken orally or via injection. The drugs known as steroids are legally available through a medical prescription. They are often prescribed to those with impotence or lack of testosterone. They are also administered to patients with AIDS. Alternatively they are used illegally by some bodybuilders and athletes alike as a quick way to gain power and muscle. The fine in the U.S. for illegal distribution of steroids is no less than 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The fine for illegal usage of steroids is $1,000 and a year in jail.

Athletes are always pushed in their sport to acquire maximum power and endurance; this is why some turn to steroids. Unfortunately athletes do not realize the imminent dangers in steroid use, therefore leading to death or paralysis. Those balloon sized muscles come with a price. Before taking steroids you need to ask yourself this question: “How much are you willing to pay for that surreal physique?”. $200.00? $300.00? No, how about the rest of your life!? Steroids put major compromises on your health. Short term effects can be reversed, but include: shrinking of the testicles, reduced sperm count, development of breasts, baldness, and infertility. For women, additional side effects include: deepened voice, changes in cessation of menstrual cycles, and growth of facial hair. In other words…If you’re a man that wants to be a woman, or visa versa then this drug may just be for you! These are only the physical effects.

There is a wide variety of mental side effects that the drug can implement on the user. These include: dizziness, mood swings (anger, depression), hallucinations, paranoia, and problems sleeping. But wait, there’s more… The major effects of steroid use can include jaundice, liver tumors, fluid retention, and high blood pressure. These horrible after-effects of steroids ultimately lead to an overly-enlarged heart, failure of the liver, and eventually an early death. Teens and steroids don’t mix either. The above effects are just as likely to occur in younger bodies, along with the risk of stunted growth, and even prolonged puberty. Unfortunately most macho pub lurkers, and easily influenced teens have the impression that it is their bodies that are getting checked out by the ladies, and not their circulatory system! This may be true, unless you are dating a female doctor! Long term effects of this drug are greatly unknown, as the side effects vary from person to person.

Oral Steroids vs. Injectable Steroids

In theory, injectable steroids are safer to take because they do not have to be digested (as oral steroids do). People that consider taking steroids generally have the problem that they will not be able to inject the drug into themselves. This makes oral steroids very popular in the underground bodybuilding community. Oral steroids are said to be harder on the liver than injectable steroids. This is proven to be true. Oral steroids have a shorter “half-life” than injectable steroids. A “half-life” basically is how long a steroid stays in your system. Because of the shorter “half lives” of oral steroids, they only last 3-5hours per pill. Therefore, oral steroids need to be taken several times a day. This puts immense strain on the liver. Yet, if you are a beginner to steroids and are not sure of yourself with injections - then there is the danger of missing the target area and inadvertently injecting the drug directly into a tendon. This can lead to a clot, that will lead to death provided it is not caught by a surgeon in time. Steroids are advertised to increase the size of your muscles. Keeping in mind the heart is also a muscle, steroids increase the size of that as well. Steroid use has been proven to reduce the amount of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and to increase the amount of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol). This is very dangerous and can lead to a heart attack.

Many athletes overlook the harmful effects of steroid abuse and decide to pump the drugs into their bodies. The fastest man alive (Ben Johnson) beat Carl Lewis at the 100-meter dash with an incredible time of 9.79 seconds in the year 1988. It was discovered that Johnson had traces of steroids in his urine. This nullified his world record and stripped him of the gold medal. Yes, that power, that speed, that physique; it all comes with a price. In this case, it was not his long term health (at least not yet) but rather his honor and dignity as an athlete and a human-being.

Weightlifters and professional bodybuilders strive for perfection through un-natural substitutes themselves. In Greg Valentino’s case, perfection is not what he chose to go for; but rather past that point. He decided he wanted to go past the point of perfection, to the point of the disgusting freak that he is today. Despite Greg’s use with steroids, he is actually quite famous. Actually, infamous would be the correct term. Infamous for his grotesque 27-inch arms.

In achieving a bodybuilding goal naturally, a lifter will definitely feel better about himself. Building natural mass only costs you the work you put into it. A hardcore steroid user can decrease their life span by greater than 20 years. Why risk it? Dedication and proper nutrition is the foundation to building a healthy, natural body.

Sources:
http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=211hate
http://www.extreme-athlete.com/steroids.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Johnson_sprinter