Why Do Athletes Use Anabolic Steroids

Athletes Using Anabolic Steroids Since the 1956 Olympics, anabolic steroids have become one of the most popular performance-enhancing drugs for athletes of all ages (“Anabolic Steroids”). Steroids are a mixture of compounds that include an important hormone called testosterone (Zelman). When steroids are taken, the individual who took them then has an abundance of that certain hormone. Some feel as though competition is being cheated by the use of steroids in sports because others have a higher advantage when performing. For 41 years, anabolic steroids have been banned from sports in all states due to the risks of taking them (“192 Banned Performance”). These drugs have many positives, but none of them are enough to outweigh the negatives. The purchasing and use of steroids should continue to be illegal unless needed for health issues.
Although doping can improve athletic ability and speed up recovery time, with the use of anabolic steroids comes many health risks. Athletes who have been using anabolic steroids for a long period of time have a greater chance of getting hepatitis B and C, gaining an aggressive personality, and using an excess dosage can …show more content…
Anabolic steroids can be unfair for reasons like increasing muscle strength and playing at a higher level than others, which can lead to an athlete being inducted into a Hall of Fame. Most players take steroids only for the performance advantage, not just to be equal with other athletes. It shouldn’t matter if the athlete has taken steroids once or five times because it is still cheating. Normally, inductees into the Hall of Fame are honored for their natural talent for the sport, and it should stay that way. Physical therapy and other training methods are almost always available to every athlete which can help with improving athletic ability (“Top 10 Pro & Con