Post by Maximum6 on Nov 28, 2004 14:40:47 GMT -5
Well...i'm suppose to type a 3 page report on this topic. I'm short of about half a page more...can you guys suggest anything i can add to my report.. ;D Thanks for reading it...
The use of supplements to enhance performance has become part of the
athletic world. Some are bad while some are good. The supplements athletes use
may increase their strength, size, and even endurance during a sport. But there are
more to the supplements and drugs athletes should know. In the world of sports the
effects of drugs to the athlete, risks involved, and what impact they have in the real
world are matters that feed the controversy.
Some people choose to take drugs and supplements to make their weight
training more effective. Most health experts do not recommend that young athletes,
such as teens, use these supplements. One popular drug called creatine
monohydrate or simply creatine does just this. Most bodybuilders believe that
taking in creatine increases their strength and builds bigger muscle faster (Gedatus
22). However, creatine has been linked to muscle cramping and dehydration, or loss
of fluid in the body which can result in poor performance in sport and possibly
injury.
As these drugs are becoming more common many athletes are still
unfamiliar with the benefits and risks of these products. There are usually side
effects involved with using drugs or supplements to enhance one’s performance.
Steroids, for example, has been linked to both cancer and heart disease (Gedatus
20). Other side effects from the use of steroids include: acne, shortening of final
adult height, mood swings, anger and aggression, liver damage, early balding, and
much more. Mood changes are probably the most common side effect and possibly
one of the most dangerous. Studies show that steroids lead to an increased risk of
violent death from impulsive, aggressive behavior or depressive symptoms. Athletes
had less control of their aggression and emotions than normal.
The impact drugs and supplements on the real world have taken place. A boy
named Taylor Hooton, at age 16, was a big young athlete by most standards.
Standing at 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighted at 180 pounds he was told by his
baseball coach that he had to get bigger to become a star player. Taylor decided that
quickest way to accomplish this was to begin a weightlifting program and to use
steroids. He gained about 30 pounds of muscle by doing this but also developed a
severe case of acne and exhibited sudden periods of overly aggressive behavior. He
was cursing at friends and punching his fist through walls. When Taylor decided to
stop his uses of steroids it lead to another effect, severe depression. Taylor
committed suicide a month after his 17th birthday (Ingram Buff Enough). There are
even more kids like Taylor who take drugs. “A full 8 percent of 12th grade boys
admitted to using either steroids or substances like androstenedione…. according to
a study out of university of Michigan”(Hewitt Juiced Up). Bodybuilder Steve
Michalik won the Mr. Universe contest in 1975 and at one point in his career was
injecting himself with steroids 14 times a day and taking 15 pills. He was forced to
stop when he nearly died of liver problems (Hewitt Juiced Up). Steroids are
normally not chemically addictive. But plenty of users are so thrilled by the results
that they become dependent on them anyway. Besides giving more muscularity and
enhancing performance the drugs and supplements can get expensive. Some may
spend up to $1,000 a month on drugs which could have been used for better things.
In the end there is nothing that drugs can do that food can not. Experts
suggest that the athlete should concentrate on eating right, drinking plenty of water,
and possibly take a multivitamin. These are the only things you need to make
working out effective. With $1,000 or more spent on drugs, it could have been used
on lots of good nutritious food. Even if the use of steroids could enable the athlete to
increase his bench-pressing from 225 to 450 pounds your body may begin to fall
apart and soon lead to death. As many people rely on these drugs every day they
forget that these “supplements” only assist in helping them achieve their goal and is
no magic pill. Only the athlete himself can do that for himself.
The use of supplements to enhance performance has become part of the
athletic world. Some are bad while some are good. The supplements athletes use
may increase their strength, size, and even endurance during a sport. But there are
more to the supplements and drugs athletes should know. In the world of sports the
effects of drugs to the athlete, risks involved, and what impact they have in the real
world are matters that feed the controversy.
Some people choose to take drugs and supplements to make their weight
training more effective. Most health experts do not recommend that young athletes,
such as teens, use these supplements. One popular drug called creatine
monohydrate or simply creatine does just this. Most bodybuilders believe that
taking in creatine increases their strength and builds bigger muscle faster (Gedatus
22). However, creatine has been linked to muscle cramping and dehydration, or loss
of fluid in the body which can result in poor performance in sport and possibly
injury.
As these drugs are becoming more common many athletes are still
unfamiliar with the benefits and risks of these products. There are usually side
effects involved with using drugs or supplements to enhance one’s performance.
Steroids, for example, has been linked to both cancer and heart disease (Gedatus
20). Other side effects from the use of steroids include: acne, shortening of final
adult height, mood swings, anger and aggression, liver damage, early balding, and
much more. Mood changes are probably the most common side effect and possibly
one of the most dangerous. Studies show that steroids lead to an increased risk of
violent death from impulsive, aggressive behavior or depressive symptoms. Athletes
had less control of their aggression and emotions than normal.
The impact drugs and supplements on the real world have taken place. A boy
named Taylor Hooton, at age 16, was a big young athlete by most standards.
Standing at 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighted at 180 pounds he was told by his
baseball coach that he had to get bigger to become a star player. Taylor decided that
quickest way to accomplish this was to begin a weightlifting program and to use
steroids. He gained about 30 pounds of muscle by doing this but also developed a
severe case of acne and exhibited sudden periods of overly aggressive behavior. He
was cursing at friends and punching his fist through walls. When Taylor decided to
stop his uses of steroids it lead to another effect, severe depression. Taylor
committed suicide a month after his 17th birthday (Ingram Buff Enough). There are
even more kids like Taylor who take drugs. “A full 8 percent of 12th grade boys
admitted to using either steroids or substances like androstenedione…. according to
a study out of university of Michigan”(Hewitt Juiced Up). Bodybuilder Steve
Michalik won the Mr. Universe contest in 1975 and at one point in his career was
injecting himself with steroids 14 times a day and taking 15 pills. He was forced to
stop when he nearly died of liver problems (Hewitt Juiced Up). Steroids are
normally not chemically addictive. But plenty of users are so thrilled by the results
that they become dependent on them anyway. Besides giving more muscularity and
enhancing performance the drugs and supplements can get expensive. Some may
spend up to $1,000 a month on drugs which could have been used for better things.
In the end there is nothing that drugs can do that food can not. Experts
suggest that the athlete should concentrate on eating right, drinking plenty of water,
and possibly take a multivitamin. These are the only things you need to make
working out effective. With $1,000 or more spent on drugs, it could have been used
on lots of good nutritious food. Even if the use of steroids could enable the athlete to
increase his bench-pressing from 225 to 450 pounds your body may begin to fall
apart and soon lead to death. As many people rely on these drugs every day they
forget that these “supplements” only assist in helping them achieve their goal and is
no magic pill. Only the athlete himself can do that for himself.
