Effects of Steroids to Human Body (a Research Paper)

I. Introduction
What are Steroids?

Corticosteroid drugs, called "steroids" for short, are potent chemical substances which can reduce swelling and inflammation quickly. These drugs are closely related to cortisol, a hormone produced on the cortex of the adrenal glands.
Corticosteroids are used in arthritis treatment because of their anti-inflammatory properties, but recommended as a low-dose or short-term treatment when possible to minimize side effects. Corticosteroids are not the same as "anabolic steroids" (performance enhancing drugs being used and abused in sports).

A steroid is a type of organic compound that contains a characteristic arrangement of four cycloalkane rings that are joined to each other. Examples of steroids include the dietary fat cholesterol, the sex hormones estradiol and testosterone and the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone.

The core of steroids is composed of twenty carbon atoms bonded together that take the form of four fused rings: threecyclohexane rings (designated as rings A, B and C in the figure to the right) and one cyclopentane ring (the D ring). The steroids vary by the functional groups attached to this four-ring core and by the oxidation state of the rings. Sterols are special forms of steroids, with a hydroxyl group at position-3 and a skeleton derived from cholestane.

Hundreds of distinct steroids are found in plants, animals andfungi. All steroids are made in cells either from the sterolslanosterol (animals and fungi) or from cycloartenol (plants). Both lanosterol and cycloartenol are derived from the cyclization of the triterpene squalene.

Anabolic steroids or anabolic-androgenic steroids are the synthetic derivatives of the naturally occurring male anabolic hormone testosterone. Both anabolic and and rogenichave origins from the Greek: anabolic, meaning, "to build," and androgenic, meaning "masculinizing." Testosterone 's natural androgenic effects trigger the maturing of the male reproductive system in puberty, including the growth of body hair and the deepening of the voice. The hormone 's anabolic effect helps the body retain dietary protein, which aids in the development of muscles. There are many types of steroids with varying degrees of anabolic and androgenic properties; it is the anabolic property of steroids that attracts athletes, primarily to increase muscle mass and strength

Who are the users of steroids?

Athletes are commonly the users of steroids. They use it as their energy source to improve their ability during their game. Through all of history, athletes have searched for certain “foods” and “potions” to turntheir old bodies into more powerful ones. By doing this, many athletes turned to anabolic steroids. When did these drugs come about, or what is the history behind steroids? The noted history of anabolic steroids being abused drugs began in 1954 among Olympic weight lifters. During 1956, American athletes first marketed Dianabol (Methandrostenolone) in the U.S., which provided a way for use. In the beginning only the “world-class” athletes that participated in some of the sports that required more strength used them. Athletes and their trainers began to develop high doses with different types of drugs. These athletes and trainers went against scientist’s opinions about the high dosages. Even though some scientists stated that there was no real evidence that steroids even caused muscle growth or caused the athlete to have improved ability. They even warned that the large amounts would lead to serious side effects. As steroids reputation grew they spread to other sports. The only Olympic sports in which steroids have not been detected are figure skating and women’s field hockey. Throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s anabolic steroids spread beyond the Olympics. In 1983, nineteen athletes were disqualified from the Olympics for steroid abuse. A survey in 1970, showed that five American universities had at least 15% of college athletic abusers. By the year 1984 20% of college athletes were using steroids.

There should not be a controversy over anabolic steroid use in athletics, non-medical use of anabolic steroids is illegal and banned by most, if not all, and major sports organizations. Still, some athletes persist in taking them, believing that these substances provide a competitive advantage and by the desire to hopefully look, perform, and feel better, regardless of the dangers. When taking anabolic steroids, it makes the athlete more aggressive, competitive, and fatigue resistant, which enables them to train harder for a longer period of time when the drug is being taken. Athletes usually take anabolic steroids during the active part of their careers, in a practice called “stacking”, which they take a combined dose of the drug through both oral and injection form. Anabolic steroids frequently are taken in conjunction with a resistance training program and an augmented protein intake. The result once again, is improvement in sports that require strength, speed, and power.

With all of this talk about better performance and everything. Does taking anabolic steroids really work? In the past, doctors believed that steroids did not really help athletes to gain muscle tissue. The athletes taking steroids only thought this would happen, so they worked harder. It was the focused attitude of the athlete and the physical stimulation of training that produced bodybuilding effects. Athletes, coaches, trainers, and physicians report that there is a significant increase in lean muscle mass, strength, and endurance. Anabolic steroids do not improve agility, skill, or cardiovascular capacity.

It is not only the football player or weight lifter or sprinter who may be using anabolic steroids, nor is it only men. White- and blue-collar workers, females and, most alarmingly, adolescents take steroids. For example, it could be an 18-year-old who wants to pick up a few pounds because of the constant teasing that goes along with being skinny. Also a 15-year-old who just wants to reach maturity a little bit faster or maybe a policeman who wants more power on the job. Despite what some people believe, males are not the only ones who use anabolic steroids. Professional female track stars, swimmers, and body builders are just a few examples of athletes that use steroids. In the United States, more than 300,000 men and women used anabolic steroids over the 1-year period from 1992-1993. More and more adolescents are turning to steroids for cosmetic reasons. Younger users come from all different backgrounds; they range from wealthy, poor, and live in rural areas and cities. Approximately 1 of 15 high school students, or about a half-million adolescents (250,000 high school students), has used steroids. These are shocking numbers, all because teenagers want to improve their athletic performance or make their appearance look better.

Steroid-using athletes grow stronger, but serious side effects included unhealthy cholesterol profiles, heart attack, stroke, liver tumors, and prostate problems. There are many negative side effects for athletes of all ages and sexes who use anabolic steroids. There are several warning signs of steroid use. The first is a drastic increase in lean body weight (muscle); the second is a change in behaviour, such as compulsive weightlifting or extreme aggressiveness; the third is the sometimes prolonged recovery from relatively minor injuries like an ankle sprain. Some general side effects of using anabolic steroids include severe acne, edema, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, hair loss, hepatotoxicity, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Although anabolic steroids are derived from a male sex hormone, men who take them may actually experience a "feminization" effect along with a decrease in normal male sexual function. When males use steroids, the excess steroids are metabolized into female sex hormones. Large doses of anabolic steroids tend to make men irritable and moody at best, and at worst, raging, murderous, and suicidal. There are a lot of negative effects from men taking anabolic steroids, for instance, the body stops producing testosterone, and also stops producing sperm, which reduces the sperm count. Using anabolic steroids for long periods of time can lead to infertility and reduced testicular size and can also lead to painful urination. Other negative effects include development of female nipples and breasts, a higher risk of prostate diseases, and liver damage

On the other hand, women often experience a "masculinization" effect from anabolic steroids. Female athletes, more than male athletes, are likely to gain a competitive edge by using male hormones, which give females more muscle, less fat, narrower hips, and higher hematocrits. Just like men, women also experience increased aggression while taking anabolic steroids. The negative effects that come from taking anabolic steroids in woman are facial hair starts to grow and their voices get deeper. Other effects of steroid use in woman include permanent enlargement of the clitoris, menstrual difficulties, permanently decreased in breast size, and male appearance, which might also affect reproduction capability.

Adolescents that use anabolic steroids are affected differently that men and woman that use the drug. Anabolic steroids can effect bone growth during puberty. This happens because the long bones of the legs and arms are still growing in early adolescence. There is also an increase in acne. Acne decreases when steroid use is stopped but may leave scarring. Male pattern baldness also occurs in both male and females. Some believe that the hair returns after steroid use and others believe it is irreversible

After a person begins to use anabolic steroids the first few times, they have to increase the dosage to get the same effect before. After doing this for some time the person becomes dependent on it. Since they have used the drug for a while their bodies need it in order to function properly. In order to stop using the drug their body goes through a stage called “withdrawal,” this is when the person gets sick because of not using the drug. Anabolic steroids are very hard to give up because when the person stops using them their whole self-image starts to fade away. If they start up again the pain goes away and they have difficulties stopping use even though they know it 's bad for them.

Many athletes want to enhance their performance not only by exercising but using anabolic steroids. Steroids are not only illegal; they are also dangerous to a person’s health. Steroid use might get you an edge on the next guy, but is it really worth it? There are so many negative side effects of anabolic steroid use in people of all ages, in which some are irreversible. Anabolic steroids are very addictive and once addicted it is very hard to stop the use of the drug. The human body is to precious to let something like steroids destroy it, just for an extra edge. Instead of using anabolic steroids put in some extra time at the gym and stay away from using steroids, they can destroy your life.
Abusers can seem pretty well educated on the subject of their vice, however, the problem lies in the quality of the information. Most often, it’s hearsay or internet chatter, combined with a skewed rationale that explains away all the bad. Many abusers will tell you the doses they take aren’t harmful because they “cycle” (come off of steroids for a period of time and then begin again) or they only take a certain “good” steroid or not enough of a dose to harm them.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. When doctors prescribe steroids, it is generally to treat patients with a rare or specific disorder, and the drug is administered in the lowest possible dose as to minimize the negative side effects. But this isn’t about medicine; this is about unregulated, unsupervised abuse of a synthetic drug for the purpose of maximum muscle development and performance. Massive doses are required to achieve the results most abusers are looking for. When this is the case, there is no safe use.

In both cases of performance and image, abusers throw caution to the wind as their sense of achievement far outweighs their consideration of the enormous risks involved. Medical research shows steroid users subject themselves to over 70 side effects ranging in severity from liver cancer to acne, and include psychological as well as physical reactions. The liver and cardiovascular and reproductive systems are most seriously affected by steroid abuse. When discussing the powerful effects of anabolic steroids on the human body, we look at the short term effects, which can take from a few weeks to a few years to present themselves and the long term effects, some taking up to a decade or more to appear.
II. The effects of steroids to human body A. Short Term Effects

The short term, more immediate side effects of steroid abuse are a veritable buffet of problems. Let’s start with the men. Acne, testicular atrophy, decreased sperm count, gynecomastia (enlarged breasts in men), high blood pressure, increased LDL (bad) cholesterol, decreased HDL (good) cholesterol, fluid retention, abnormal liver function, and prostate enlargement, just to name a few.

Anabolic steroids can affect women differently than men, and in some cases, dramatically so. Women can experience many of the same dangerous effects as men including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and liver damage. Many of the problems, however, are exclusively feminine representations of natural male characteristics such as male pattern balding, deepening of the voice, facial and body hair growth, and coarsening of the skin.

For both sexes, increased aggressiveness, otherwise known as "roid rage," commonly accompanies the use of steroids.

a. Acne One common side effect is the onset of acne or, in cases of adolescents where acne is already present, a much more severe case can present itself. The scientific explanation is quite colorful. Steroids enlarge the sebaceous glands in the skin. Then, they cause these glands to increase sebum (oil) production. The increased sebum leads to plug formation and serves as "food" for bacteria.

Normal hormones surge at puberty, which is why teens develop armpit and pubic hair, and why boys develop facial hair and deeper voices. This hormonal surge also contributes to the cause of acne in teens. Introducing steroids to this delicate balance is just asking for trouble.

b. Shrunken Testicles Testicular atrophy, a fancy term for shrunken balls, isn’t just a cosmetic problem. Because an outside source of testosterone is being introduced to the body, the testes no longer get the signal to produce their share. The brain is also being told to slow down the sperm factory, and that the body is getting sperm from an outside source, usually the hypodermic needle. The brain then sends a signal back to the testicles to take a break. This new function can cause temporary sterility, and the jury is still out on whether steroids are linked with permanent sterility or not. But why take the chance?

c. Gynecomastia Gynecomastia, a pretty word for man-boobs, is another not-so-good side effect of abuse that comes from the improper balance of testosterone. When the body converts the additional testosterone into estrogen and other female hormones in the male body, female breast tissue is sometimes formed. Often, surgery with a painful recovery time is the only method of removing the female tissue build-up. Basically, the surgeon enlarges the area to be liposuctioned with a large amount of sterile fluid then employs ultrasonic liposuction using sound waves to break up the fat. The surgery can cost upwards of $10,000 and you will be hard pressed to find insurance that will cover steroid abuse.

d. High Blood Pressure The next effect on our list is high blood pressure, which is caused when the steroid forces the body to hold onto extra salt and water, rather than flushing it out as usual. Steroids also cause an increase in the body 's red blood cell count and hematocrit levels, resulting in higher blood pressure. The long term effects of high blood pressure are a list all their own. It causes the heart to get larger, which may lead to heart failure.
Small bulges (aneurysms) can form in blood vessels, the main artery from the heart (aorta), arteries in the brain, legs, and intestines; and the artery leading to the spleen. Blood vessels in the kidney can narrow, which may cause kidney failure. Arteries throughout the body can "harden" faster, especially those in the heart, brain, kidneys, and legs. This can cause a heart attack, stroke, kidney failure or amputation of part of the leg. Blood vessels in the eyes may burst or bleed, which can cause vision changes and can result in blindness.

e. High Cholesterol High blood pressure is also often a result of high (LDL) bad cholesterol levels and/or low (HDL) good cholesterol levels. Steroids change the levels of lipoproteins that carry cholesterol in the blood. Steroids, particularly oral steroids, increase the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and decrease the level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL). This increases the risk of atherosclerosis, a condition in which fatty substances are deposited inside arteries and disrupt blood flow. If blood is prevented from reaching the heart, the result can be a heart attack. If blood is prevented from reaching the brain, the result can be a stroke.

f. Liver Malfunction Let’s move on to the liver, where just about everything you put in your body gets processed. In other words, just try to live without your liver. It won’t happen. Steroid abuse has been associated with liver tumors and a rare condition called peliosis hepatis, in which blood-filled cysts form in the liver. Both the tumors and the cysts can rupture, causing internal bleeding. Keep in mind, we’re talking short term effects.

g. Enlarged Prostate Next, the issue of prostate enlargement, which is a problem seen with aging males. This is not something you typically see in younger men, unless they’re taking anabolic steroids. Over the course of an average life span, the male prostate gland naturally grows thirty times its original size. It doesn’t need the help of additional testosterone to grow to the size of a grapefruit. However, when large amounts of synthetic testosterone are involved, the prostate grows faster. The long term effect of that is prostate cancer. It is medically proven that the cancer loves the taste of testosterone, which feeds the growth of cancer cells.

h. Balding Baldness in women steroid abusers is caused by the body’s confused over-production of DHT- a hair inhibitor enzyme, which generally affects both sexes similarly. Women see this change occurring first around the scalp line and can eventually cause balding that is irreversible.

i. Male Characteristics in Female A deepening voice is another naturally male characteristic that can develop in women abusers simply because of the large amounts of testosterone sending male signals to the brain, the control room for hormone production, and the various glands that manage the hormone output. Steroids play havoc with the entire system.

Excess facial and body hair growth and coarse skin, both male characteristics, are unsavory by-products of steroid abuse by women caused by an overabundance of male hormones. While aggressiveness and heightened libido are side effects that can be experienced by both genders, some effects are uniquely female. For example, the enlarged or lengthened clitoris is inherently female as well as a confused and erratic menstrual cycle. Other traits may include shrinking breasts, anxiety, depression, and high levels of stress. All of these characteristics can be caused by introducing the amounts of synthetic steroids in the female body necessary to see a change in muscle development.

j. Aggression In both men and women steroid abusers, evidence of “roid rage” or increased aggression from too much testosterone is a hotly contested topic. However, in animal studies, the relationship between steroids and aggression has always been pretty clear.

In some studies, more than 80 percent of steroid-treated animals become extremely aggressive. In humans, the picture has been clouded by alternative explanations and a lack of hard evidence. Only in recent years have researchers been able to confirm that steroid-induced aggression is a real human phenomenon that can occur in individuals who take large doses of steroids for extended periods of time. This heightened aggression can lead to irritability, stress, and violence.

When the circuits in the brain that are responsible for impulse control are influenced by steroids, it affects this system that inhibits aggressive response, predisposing some abusers to violent outbursts. Researchers do not yet know the key as to why some abusers are more affected than others, but the correlation between steroids and aggressive behavior is a documented phenomenon.

B. Long Term Effects Only in recent years have researchers been able to define the long term effects of steroid abuse. They are learning more each year as abusers age and problems present themselves.
a. H.I.V. One of the deadliest side effects, scoffed at by many abusers, is HIV.Intravenous needle sharing, combined with a heightened sex drive and libido function can be a very dangerous combination. This is especially true in adolescent teens and young adults who often have weaker decision-making skills and a high susceptibility to peer pressure. HIV and AIDS-related deaths are on the rise and the epidemic is not as popular in the media as in past decades. Most people adopt a “that stuff happens to other people” attitude, and many steroid abusers, already practiced rationalizers don’t even consider it at all.

b. Liver Failure Peliosis Hepatitis, a condition where blood-filled cysts replace liver and spleen tissue, has been reported in patients receiving long-term anabolic steroid treatments. These cysts have been associated with liver failure. Discontinued use of steroids has shown a regression and sometimes a complete disappearance of these cysts; however, during the course of steroid use, the cysts can create tumors. These tumors are less evident and can be silent until a life-threatening abdominal hemorrhage occurs.

c. Cardiovascular Problems
High blood cholesterol levels, as discussed earlier in this article, can lead to premature heart conditions, heart attacks and stroke. The increase in muscle mass can put undue strain on the rest of a body that is not prepared for the surprisingly fast new muscle development. The heart is put under more pressure to provide blood to more muscle tissue, while processing greater levels of bad cholesterol. Moreover, high blood pressure due to salt and water retention can put even further undue stress on the heart.

d. Stunted Growth Studies have shown that adolescents who abuse steroids are at risk of being short for life. Because the body responds to puberty by slowing and eventually stopping growth, the pubescent period of life is crucial to future development. When the adolescent brain senses a certain level of hormones in the body, it will send messages to the bones to stop growing, closing the growth plates in the long bones. Young male abusers can expect to be permanently shorter than average height.

e. Ligament and Joint Injury Steroids increase muscle mass and muscle strength, but they leave the joints and ligaments out of the equation. Steroid abusers can expect to eventually put too much strain on ligaments that cannot properly anchor the new muscle strength, leading to possibly severe injury and future surgery to correct torn shoulder joints or knee ligaments. The muscles are exerted, and the joints simply can’t handle it.

f. Weight Problems Steroid abusers who stop abusing often deal with atrophied muscle mass which converts to fat. Many former abusers report a problem managing weight gain, or losing excess flab and soft tissue that occurs when the muscles are no longer being fed high doses of testosterone. Excess body weight contributes to a host of long-term problems including the aforementioned cardiovascular issues.

g. Neurological Issues Studies have confirmed steroid abuse has a long term effect on the neurological pathways of the brain. Depending on the age when steroids are taken, the effects can sometimes be permanent. For example, abusing steroids in the teenage years of development has shown to affect the brain’s ability to properly produce serotonin, the enzyme tied with our sense of well-being. This tampering with serotonin can lead to permanent increases in depression and aggression. In women, this hormonal tampering can also lead to significantly lower levels of progesterone and estrogen, potentially upsetting the delicate balance of female chemistry and inducing severe anxiety and depression.

III. Conclusion Though proponents of steroid use may praise the benefits that steroids can have on muscular development and improved athletic performance, any properly informed individual will be hard pressed to deny the possibilities of detrimental side-effects.

Coming back to the reasons for steroid abuse, it is understandable that steroid abuse is so rampant considering the powerful influence of the human need to achieve or simply feel better about one’s self. However, even when considering that no side effect is guaranteed to occur, the overwhelming evidence of dangerous side effects should be enough to persuade most people to steer clear of anabolic steroids.

IV. References

“What are Steroids?”, Eustice C. (2006) retrieved from http://arthritis.about.com/od/steroids/g/steroid.htm on March 16, 2012

“Steroids”, Wikipedia retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steroid on March 16, 2012

“Ergogenic Aids: What Athletes Are Using – and Why”. Randy E. Retrieved from http://web.sls.hw.ac.uk/teaching/a15bt2_sep/Anabolic%20Steroids%20in%20Exercising%20-%20Essay.pdf on March 12, 2013

Gallaway, Steve. (1997).The Steroid Bible. Belle International retrieved from http://web.sls.hw.ac.uk/teaching/a15bt2_sep/Anabolic%20Steroids%20in%20Exercising%20-%20Essay.pdf on March 12, 2012

Koziris, Lymperis. (2000)“Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Abuse.” The Physician and Sportsmedicine Journal retrieved from http://web.sls.hw.ac.uk/teaching/a15bt2_sep/Anabolic%20Steroids%20in%20Exercising%20- %20Essay.pdf on March 12, 2013

“Side Effects of Anabolic Steroid Abuse (long term and short term)”.Anonymus retrived from http://www.steroidabuse.com/side-effects-of-steroids.html On March 12, 2013

References: “What are Steroids?”, Eustice C. (2006) retrieved from http://arthritis.about.com/od/steroids/g/steroid.htm on March 16, 2012 “Steroids”, Wikipedia retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steroid on March 16, 2012 “Ergogenic Aids: What Athletes Are Using – and Why”. Randy E. Retrieved from http://web.sls.hw.ac.uk/teaching/a15bt2_sep/Anabolic%20Steroids%20in%20Exercising%20-%20Essay.pdf on March 12, 2013 Gallaway, Steve. (1997).The Steroid Bible. Belle International retrieved from http://web.sls.hw.ac.uk/teaching/a15bt2_sep/Anabolic%20Steroids%20in%20Exercising%20-%20Essay.pdf on March 12, 2012 Koziris, Lymperis. (2000)“Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Abuse.” The Physician and Sportsmedicine Journal retrieved from http://web.sls.hw.ac.uk/teaching/a15bt2_sep/Anabolic%20Steroids%20in%20Exercising%20- %20Essay.pdf on March 12, 2013 “Side Effects of Anabolic Steroid Abuse (long term and short term)”.Anonymus retrived from http://www.steroidabuse.com/side-effects-of-steroids.html On March 12, 2013