Steroid use is a growing problem in society. There is a multitude of research pertaining to the science of steroids but the prevention and treatment of steroid use has for the most part been largely ignored. In order to get to the root of the problem the research should contain not only the basics of steroids, but also the culture of steroid use. The reasons why people use steroids range from improving sports performance to prevention of abuse and rape. By focusing not only on the obvious reasons for steroid use, the prevention and treatment of steroid use becomes a much bigger and more complicated problem than most would assume.

There are many different procedures being used to control steroids and their abuse. Some of them appear to be working but many of them do not. Only telling people the adverse affects of steroids is the most ineffective way to control the problem. Rather, teaching people the risks and rewards of steroids and how to receive the same rewards without actually using the drugs seems to be the most effective method. Steroids have now taken center stage with the recent government intervention of steroids in professional sports. There is no better time to address the issue of steroids in society than now. The purpose of this research is to address the issue of steroids use in the society and to determine that how its effects the people in the society

Introduction

"Anabolic Steroids" is the familiar name for synthetic substances related to the male sex hormones (androgens). They promote the growth of skeletal muscle (anabolic effects) and the development of male sexual characteristics (androgenic effects), and also have some other effects. The term "anabolic steroids" will be used throughout this report because of its familiarity, although the proper term for these compounds is "anabolic-androgenic" steroids (Gallaway, 1997, p. 6).

Anabolic steroids were developed in the late 1930s primarily to treat hypogonadism, a condition in which the testes do not produce sufficient testosterone for normal growth, development, and sexual functioning. The primary medical uses of these compounds are to treat delayed puberty, some types of impotence, and wasting of the body caused by HIV infection of other diseases (Lukas, 2001, p.11). More than one hundred different anabolic steroids have been developed, but they require a prescription to be used legally in the United States. Most steroids that are used illegally are smuggled in from other countries, illegally diverted from U.S. pharmacies, or synthesized in clandestine laboratories (Paris, 2005).

Recent evidence suggests that steroid use among adolescents is on the rise. The 2005 Monitoring the Future study, a National Institute on Drug Abuse funded survey of drug abuse among adolescents in middle and high schools across the United States, estimated that 2.7 percent of 8th- and 10th-graders and 2.9 percent of 12th-graders had taken anabolic steroids at least once in their lives. For 10th-graders, that is a significant increase from 2004, when 2.0 percent of 10th graders said they had taken anabolic steroids at least once. For all three grades, the 2005 levels represent a significant increase from 1998, the first year that data on steroid abuse were collected from the younger students. In that year, 1.9 percent of 8th-graders, 1.8 percent of 10th-graders, and 2.1 percent of 12th-graders reported that they had taken anabolic steroids at least once. While few data exist on the extent of steroid use by adults. It has been estimated that hundreds of thousands of people aged eighteen and older abuse anabolic steroids at least once a year. Among both adolescents and adults, steroid use is higher among males than females. However, steroid abuse is growing most rapidly among young women (NIDA, 2005).

Steroid use among professional athletes has taken center stage due to the explosion of allegations and suspensions in many of the professional sports leagues. Some former athletes estimate that steroid use in the pros could be somewhere between 20 to 50 percent. To most fans, this is a staggering number that compromises the integrity of the professional sports leagues. To the athletes who are not using steroids, this creates an unfair disadvantage for those who are actually abiding by the rules.

Why do people use anabolic steroids?

One of the main reasons people give for using steroids is to improve their performance in sports. Among competitive bodybuilders, steroid abuse has been estimated to be very high. Among other athletes the incidence of abuse probably varies depending on the specific sport. Another reason people give for taking steroids is to increase their muscle size and/or reduce their body fat. This group includes some people who have a behavioral syndrome (muscle dysmorphia) in which a person has a distorted image of his of her body. Men with this condition think that they look small and weak, even if they are large and muscular. Similarly, women with the syndrome think that they look fat and flabby, even though they are actually lean and muscular (Ciola, 2004, p.86).

Some people who abuse steroids to boost muscle size have experienced physical or sexual abuse. They are trying to increase their muscle size to protect themselves. In one series of interviews with male weight-lifters given by the NIDA, 25 percent who abused steroids reported memories of childhood physical or sexual abuse, compared with none who did not abuse steroids. Finally, some adolescents use steroids as part of a pattern of high-risk behaviors. These adolescents also take risks such as drinking and driving, carrying a gun, not wearing a helmet on a motorcycle, and abusing other illicit drugs.

While conditions such as muscle dysmorphia, a history of physical or sexual abuse, or a history of engaging in high-risk behaviors may increase the risk of initiating or continuing steroid use, researchers agree that most steroid users are psychologically normal when they start abusing the drugs.

How are anabolic steroids used?

Some anabolic steroids are taken orally, others are injected intramuscularly, and still others are provided in gels or creams that are rubbed on the skin. Doses taken by users can be 10 to 100 times higher than the doses used for medical conditions. Steroid users typically "stack" the drugs, meaning that they take two or more different anabolic steroids, mixing oral and/or inject able types and sometimes even including compounds that are designed for veterinary use. Users think that the different steroids interact to produce an effect on muscle size that is greater than the effects of each drug individually, a theory that has not been tested scientifically. (Kerr, 1982, p.115).

What are the health consequences of steroid use? Anabolic steroid use has been associated with a wide range of adverse side effects ranging from some that are physically unattractive, such as acne and breast development in men, to others that are life threatening, such as heart attacks and liver cancer. Most are reversible if the abuser stops taking the drugs, but some are permanent.

Hormonal system

Steroid use disrupts the normal production of hormones in the body, causing both reversible and irreversible changes. Changes that can be reversed include reduced sperm production and shrinking of the testicles. Steroid abuse has been associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including heart attacks and strokes, even in athletes younger than 30. Steroids contribute to the development of CVD, partly by changing the levels of lipoproteins that carry cholesterol in the blood. Steroids, particularly the oral types, increase the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and decrease the level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL). High LDL and low HDL levels increase 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. (Anthony Roberts 2006) Liver

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 sometimes rupture, causing internal bleeding. Skin problem and Infection

Steroid abuse can cause acne, cysts, and oily hair and skin. Many abusers who inject anabolic steroids use nonsterile injection techniques or share contaminated needles with other abusers. These factors put abusers at risk for acquiring life-threatening viral infections, such as HIV and hepatitis B and C. (Yesalis, 2000, p.182)

What can be done to prevent steroid use? Early attempts to prevent steroid abuse concentrated on drug testing and on educating students about the drugs' adverse effects. A few school districts test for abuse of illicit drugs, including steroids, and studies are currently under way to determine whether such testing reduces drug abuse. Research on steroid educational programs has shown that simply teaching students about steroids' adverse effects does not convince adolescents that they personally can be adversely affected. Nor does such instruction discourage young people from taking steroids in the future. Presenting both the risks and benefits of anabolic steroid use is more effective in convincing adolescents about steroids' negative effects, apparently because the students find a balanced approach more credible and less biased, according to the researchers. However, the balanced approach still does not discourage adolescents from abusing steroids (Gallaway, 1997, p. 214).

In conclusion steroid use rapidly increasing within society, it is as important as ever to learn more about how to control and prevent these potentially hazardous drugs. The intensive research and studying I conducted on steroids shows that there is much more to this problem than most would assume. Steroid abuse is as big of a problem as other illicit drugs such as marijuana and cocaine, to ignore steroids would be dangerous and detrimental to the future of our society.