56 Melbourne Olympic games, steroid use had escalated to the point that many Olympic competetors in the strength events were either using them or were aware of their performance ehancing abilties.Anabolic steroids are all derivatives of the male sex hormone testosterone. With the use of steroids a person will receive two types of effects from the use. The first is the androgenic effects or masculinizing. These are the unwanted effects such as the enlarging of the prostate, growth of male sex glands, deepening of the voice, and increased facial hair(other steroids were developed in an attempt to separate these effects of testosterone from the anabolic). The other effect is anabolic effects, the wanted effects. There are three major benefits that are wanted from steroid use and they are: Frist athletes will attain a greater increase in lean muscle mass and strength when it is used with a combination of rigorous training and the drug. The second major benefit of the steroid use is that the athlete's body suffers less breakdown. This decrease in muscle breakdown and recovery time permits more frequent training sessions at higher intensity and for longer periods of time. The third benefit is the increased aggresiveness they are believed to simulate. This increased aggresssiveness may drive athletes to train harder and longer without the usual fatigue. Other positive effects of using steroids is increases in; storage of muscle glycogen, blood volume, a general boasting of the immune system, and the reduction of body fat percentage. The effects are maintained as long as the athlete continues the steroid use.Anabolic steroids also have a number of potentially harmful side effects. The introduction of synthetic hormones results in decreased levels of other natural hormones. This worsens acne and accelerates baldness. This can also result in the decrease production of sperm and testosterone by the testes, which can lead to atroph...
