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... use such dangerous materials? That is one question no one can yet answer. Performance-enhancing drugs are not solely used by men in these types of activities. Women also have been known to use them, especially Chinese women.
For example, there was quite a controversy in the recent National Games in Shanghai, China. According to Phillip Whitten of The New Republic, ... in the weight-lifting arena alone, Chinese women eclipsed every world record in all nine weight classes... in some weight-lifting events, the old marks were passed by 60 pounds or more -- in a sport which usually measures world record improvements in one- or two-pound increments (10). Also in the same article, Whitten describes how, ... previously unranked Chinese women set two world records, eight Asian records, and clocked the worlds best time in eight of thirteen individual events (10).
It almost cannot be denied that these women were doped up at the time of this particular event, but there was no way to prove it by drug tests, because it was already too late. According to Whitten, FINA (swimming's international governing body) only conducts unannounced drug tests on athletes in the top 25, and many of the Chinese athletes were above that mark, yet still two of them broke records (10). Thus, almost all the officials basically know that these records are false, yet there is nothing that can be done at this point. Another example of the cheating by women by using performance-enhancing drugs occurred just a month later at the Asian Games in Hiroshima, Japan. There, a surprise drug test was administered and eleven Chinese athletes tested positive to DHT, or dihydro testosterone (Whitten 11). Thus the whole nation was suspended from the Pan Pacific Championships in 1995.
We can only infer that even more women are currently using these performance-enhancing drugs. When women use performance-enhancing drugs, there can be many, many side affects. These may include the growth of facial and / or body hair, changes in or cessation of the menstrual cycle, enlargement of the clitoris, a deepened voice, their bodies may become more masculine, balding and breast shrinkage may occur, women can lose body fat, and they may cause women to become more hungry. These are in addition to the side affects which are shared by both sexes which may include high blood pressure, water retention, depression, cholesterol problems, septic shock, diarrhea, continuous bad breath, heart disease, yellowing of the eyes or skin (due to liver problems), insomnia, fetal damage for pregnant women, aggressive behavior, AIDS (from the use of needles shared when injecting performance-enhancing drugs) and of course, death (Facts About Anabolic Steroids).
Yet, women are still willing to risk their health and their lives just in order to The issue concerning teens and performance-enhancing drugs is a rapidly growing one. According to Nuwer in his book Steroids, almost 66 % of male high school seniors have used anabolic steroids at least one point during their short lives so far (65). Also, Nuwer says that... medical researchers believe that between one and three million youths and adults have taken anabolic steroids in one form or another specifically to enhance their looks or athletic performances (61).
Unfortunately, this number has been growing every year since this study was taken in the late 1980 s. And it is very possible that taking performance-enhancing drugs at such a young age can even bring worse side affects than it can to fully grown adults. For example, some of the known side affects include stunted growth, reduction in bone growth, tendon and muscle pulls (because they have to hold up more weight and have not been adjusted to it yet), and death. How do teenagers find out about steroids and performance-enhancing drugs? Very easily. They see and read news all the time which contains both legal and illegal performance-enhancing drugs and they usually show the athletes taking them winning their particular event.
This gives youngsters the mindset that they will be able to succeed much easier by using these types of products, and also gives them the bad example that cheating is fine as long as you can get away with it. Also, legal performance-enhancing drugs such as creatine and androstenedione, which may also have adverse side affects, and both of which are used by pro baseball player Mark McGwire, are seen as drugs that help a person to become stronger and better, without any of the bad results in which some illegal performance-enhancing drugs and steroids can bring. Young athletes have heard and seen that established athletes whom they admire use them [performance-enhancing drugs], and they want to follow the same victorious path their heroes have trod (Nuwer 12). According to an article written in the October 1998 issue of People Weekly, ... sales of the steroid [androstenedione) are expected to top $ 100 million this year, up from $ 5 million in 1997 (144). Many of these sales will be from younger athletes competing at the high school level, unaware of the dangers of this legal substance.
One can make a good comparison between cigarettes and legal performance-enhancing drugs and legal steroids. This is that they can both be extremely harmful to ones health, yet they are both legal and in great demand. According to a New York Times report in the Providence Journal Bulletin, ... 175, 000 teenage girls in the United States have reported taking anabolic steroids at least once within a year of the time surveyed -- a rise of 100 % since 1991 (A 12). This compares to the estimated 325, 000 teenage boys who currently use steroids (Providence Today, the standards set upon performance-enhancing drugs and steroids in the athletic world are very loose.
Many organizations such as MLB, the NBA, the NFL and so on have little, if any, standard drug testing for illegal substances. Although many organizations do outlaw some of these substances, their disregard for caring about the athletes health by not enforcing drug tests shows that they care rather about making money than they do about the well being of their participants. They would rather bring in money from sponsors than expose the great number of people who are using banned performance-enhancing drugs. Also, even when drug tests are administered, usually for international competitions such as the Olympics, the tests are so basic that it is simple to bypass the test and get a negative, even if that athlete had been taking illegal performance-enhancing drugs or steroids.
One action that these organizations must take in the near future is to spend a lot of time and money on the study of performance-enhancing drugs and steroids. Thus, they would be able to come up with better ways to be able to test athletes. These regulations are needed not only to protect the athletes, but also to bring some integrity back to the world of sports. World records are being broken left and right by people who have had little respect for others. These athletes care only about themselves and do not have enough discipline to train and work hard, the honest way.
Bibliography: Works Cited August, Paul Nordstrom. Drugs and Women. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987 Bamberg er, Michael and Yaeger, Don. Over the edge (performance-enhancing drug use).
Sports Illustrated v 86 (April 14, 1997): 60 - 64 +. Day, Michael. New Scientist (October 10, 1998): 45 - 46. Facts About Anabolic Steroids.
web Hazard Alert. People Weekly v 50 no 13 (October 12, 1998): 143 - 144. Kardong, Don. Precious Medal. Runners World v 33 no 8 (August 1998): 70 - 73 Meer, Jeff.
Drugs and Sports. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987 Nuwer, Hank. Steroids. New York: Franklin Watts, 1990. The New York Times. Steroid use among teenage girls on the rise, studies find.
The Providence Journal Bulletin. June 6, 1999: A 12 Reilly, Rick. Hey Mac, Do What Comes Naturally. Sports Illustrated v 90 no 9 (March 1, 1999): 90. Whitten, Phillip.
Strong-Arm Tactic. The New Republic v 217 (November 17, 1997): 10 +. Zorpette, Glen. Andro Angst. Scientific American v 279 no 6 (December 1998): 22 +.
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