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The Silent Killers Outline (Abstract) This report will deplore into the nature of steroids, as well as many problems and hazards they pose for various groups that are affected by them. The major purpose of this report would be to explain and prove that while there are both positive and negative effects to steroid usage, the negative ones far outweigh the positive ones, and steroids, therefore, not the best choice for professional and young athletes alike. Various types of sources will be utilized to compile this project; this will ensure that various types of relevant information are present. The statistics and medical characteristics of various steroids will also be useful in our elaborating on the subject. The opinions of different experts in the field of steroid usage will be analyzed, as well as some of the most notorious scandals related to steroids in big sports. Overall, the paper will try to show why exactly the negative effects of steroids outweigh the positive ones.
Within the conceptual framework of this research, we will elaborate on how the usage of steroids has posed a lot of serious problems not only for the athletes who use them, but also for the sports community at large as well as those younger athletes who imitate their older peers and also engage in this activity. Although there are some beneficial affects related to the steroids usage, it is evident that the adverse affects far outweigh them: damage to the body caused; scandals in big sports associated with illegal steroid usage that hurt sports reputation; younger athletes imitating their older peers and thus jeopardizing their health, and many others. In this report, we will cover all those adverse affects to show that they really do outweigh the beneficial ones. We will also talk about history of steroids usage, provide some statistical information, as well as personal reflections of those who have used steroids in their lives and the opinions of those who still believe that steroid should be used at whatever costs. Humans began to compete as soon as we laid foot upon our beautiful planet. At first, our competitions were held to see who would eat, who would drink, or to see who would reproduce.
Human competition was about life or death and only the strong were guaranteed survival. Today, things are drastically different when compared to the era of the Cro-Magnon. We no longer face the life or death bouts over a single meal. Competition is still as strong as ever but our prizes are now more trivial compared to the rewards for the cavemen. Nowadays, our most fierce competitions are held in football stadiums, hockey rinks, and weight rooms. The rewards for todays gladiators consist of bragging rights over a rival, worldwide notoriety, and large sums of money.
How things have changed in a few million years. Winning has always been a top priority for our species, the cavemen needed to win or their lives were finished. Today, we need to win because our society tells us so. Even though things are drastically different, there are some things that have not been lost over millions of years of evolution. Humans have always looked for an extra advantage to get an edge on their competitors and over time many have crossed the line and stepped into cheating. Cheating has become a problem in contemporary sports.
People often feel inadequate when they cannot live up to standards set by a mainstream society. People look to things that they believe are quick fixes to their problem. Many people see Steroids as an answer to their problems. (Aitken 220) Steroids can make you more fit for athletic competition and make the body more muscular which is considered appealing. Many people turn to steroids because they think it will give them solutions to the problems they have with society. Many people also fail to see that there are natural ways to enhance athleticism and muscle size that are legal and do not threaten good health. Steroids may seem practical in the short term but it has been proven that the body will suffer in the long term.
Over the years, everyone has heard the stories about how steroid abuse has ruined the lives of many people. Anyone who follows sports has heard the Lyle Alzado story about his abuse and his premature death. Lyle Alzado was an all-pro defensive end for the Los Angeles Raiders during the 1980 's. (Landry, G. L. , Primo's Jr, W. A 187) Alzado came from a small college and he felt that it was necessary to take steroids to compete with stronger and faster athletes in the NFL. Alzado acquired many health problems including heart disease and kidney problems.
Alzado died young of brain cancer that was probably caused from steroid abuse. It is time to distinguish between the fact and the fiction and find out what steroids really do to the body. It is easy to see that the use of steroids creates many changes within the human body. Some of the effects are useful, for example, steroids given to a child that is of abnormally small stature.
On the other hand, many of the effects of steroids are harmful and can cause adverse and irreversible damage to the body. One of the first external changes in the body can be seen in the skin. The skin is the largest organ on the human body and is the most sensitive area for side effects (Griggs, R. C. , Kingston, W. , Jozefowicz, R. F. , Herr, B. F. , Forbes, G. , Halliday, D. 501) Acne is sometimes a problem for those who use steroids, acne that results from steroid use spreads from the face down across the shoulders and all over the back.
Those prone to acne before steroid usage will have higher probability of it becoming worse. Another side effect on the skin is the appearance of stretch marks. Stretch marks are formed when muscle size rapidly increases and the skin has to stretch to accommodate the new increase in size. Scars are another side effect that can be found in the skin of someone who abuses steroids. When you stick yourself a couple of times, these little dots begin to show where you put the needle in (Aitken 223).
Another common side effect is a loss of hair. Steroids do not cause baldness but they accelerate the process for those who will lose hair later in their lives. The skin and hair are the only two things we are able to see on the human body. Therefore, the first signs of steroid use can be detected on the external organs. We cannot see the effects of steroids on the internal organs but they do affect the vital organs of
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Research essay sample on Life Or Death Effects Of Steroids
