![]() ![]() Steroids, which are normally ingested in pill form or injected as a liquid, are legally prescribed by doctors for a small number of disorders, including anemia, burns, and certain types of cancer. In large doses, steroids have been linked with heart disease, sexual and reproductive disorders, immune deficiencies, liver problems, stunted growth, and overly aggressive behavior. Only recently, however, has more attention been focused on the unhealthy side effects of anabolic steroids, which are closely related to the male sex hormone, testosterone. Since the 1950’s, athletes have been using the hormone-like drugs to build their muscle tissue and cut their training time. Steroid use among athletes is not a new phenomenon. “We have not seen a response from our membership that this is a problem,” echoed John Johnson, a spokesman for the Michigan High School Activities Association. “A lot of kids may do it during the transition to college,” he said, adding that his organization includes information about steroids in its drug-prevention program. “A lot of kids who may be prone to using steroids may not be in the high schools,” said Richard Stickle, executive director of target, a substance-abuse program run by the National Federation of State High School Associations. Officials of state high-school activities associations, while acknowledging that some students may abuse steroids, said they were not sure how great a problem the drugs pose at the high-school level. “They know that what is stated is one thing, but what is actually demanded, necessary, and imperative in some cases is something else.” “Kids are using steroids because we as a society believe that winning is more important than integrity, honesty, and health itself,” he said. Noting that few organizations governing high-school athletics have moved to ban steroids, he said that many students will do whatever it takes to win. Uryasz, who said there are currently no cooperative efforts planned between his organization and high-school athletic groups to discourage steroid use, noted that as many as 50 percent of all offensive linemen playing college football may use steroids. “It’s a problem in the colleges that is filtering down to the high school,” said Frank Uryasz, director of the sports-sciences department of the ncaa Mr. That figure dropped to 1 percent last year, the association said. Three percent of the football players who participated in bowl games tested positive in 1986. On a national level, he said, from 250,000 to 500,000 teenagers may have used steroids.Ī survey conducted by the Hazelton Foundation, a nonprofit Minneapolis agency that specializes in chemical-dependency issues and rehabilitation, found that 8 percent of the 12th-grade boys surveyed in 39 schools nationwide said they had used steroids at least once during the previous 30 days.Īt the collegiate level, the National Collegiate Athletic Association has since 1986 been testing athletes for steroid use during bowl games or post-season play.Īccording to the ncaa, 1 to 2 percent of the athletes tested in 19 were found to have used steroids. Yesalis 3rd, professor of health and human services at Pennsylvania State University, testified before the House Subcommittee on Crime that almost 7 percent of the male high-school seniors he questioned in a recent national survey reported current or previous steroid use. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |