Radio Shows | Anabolic Steroids and Baseball | mp3 … wma … wav

Over eighty players are named in a report as having used anabolic steroids when playing in major league baseball. That’s disappointing stuff.

Whether or not you think the report is credible, the fact is winning can be so enticing some athletes risk reputation and health to win.

Why would they do that? It’s simple. Anabolic steroids can boost performance.

The drug is a synthetic substance similar to the male sex hormone. That means it can promote the growth of skeletal muscle and boost the immune system.

Sounds good but it’s illegal in the U.S. except when used to treat certain illnesses. The reason is, anabolic steroids cause serious side effects especially in children and adolescents.

Girls who take the drug can develop male sexual characteristics like excessive facial and body hair, deepening of the voice, disruption of the menstrual cycle, and a long term increased risk for breast and uterine cancer as well as infertility.

Boys on the other hand can experience feminization including breast enlargement and shrinkage of the testicles.

Both boys and girls can experience premature puberty; increase in acne severity and their growth may be stunted.

But studies have shown anabolic steroid use can affect all users. Abusers are at higher risk for heart attacks, strokes, and liver problems.

Steroids can also cause mood changes, commonly known as “roid” rage. There are recorded cases of murder associated with steroid use.

To discourage young people from using these harmful drugs, some states including Texas have instituted random drug testing policies for high school athletes.

If some of baseball’s greatest players today are guilty, they should think about the message they’re sending to young people. Is winning worth the cost?