Steroids Affecting Student Athletes

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Athletes in high school have easy access to a range of drugs from their peers and classmates who might be encouraging the engagement of drug use. The opportunities to take any kinds of drugs are prime throughout a student’s high school career that influence the student’s self-control. By participating in drug use, a student becomes more susceptible to committing crimes, potentially putting their life in danger. While under the influence of drugs, student athletes are at risk of making impulsive decisions that could affect their life forever. Furthermore to affecting high school students and athletes behaviors, drugs impact any student participating in athletics by altering their athletic performance and health. Introducing drugs to an adolescent …show more content…
This dissatisfaction can lead to severe health issues ranging from eating disorders to illegal drug use. Instead of altering physical appearance in a healthy routine, students are drawn to steroids to create that fantasized appearance. Steroids, otherwise known as performance-enhancing drugs, had become boundless drug occurring right after World War II had ended. (Tasian, Sarah) Steroids along with other amphetamines fell widespread to athletes around the world who were specifically looking to alter their body and build strength. Referring back to steroid use of the East Germany Olympic team in the late 1900’s, women on the team were unconsciously aware they were being doped up on steroids and later developed complications such as inflammation, excessive body hair, and even ovarian cysts. (Tasian, Sarah) Steroids don’t just negatively affect women but they can cause serious health issues for men as well. Both male and female athletes might experience health risks such as liver abnormalities, high blood pressure and heart problems. (Mayo Clinic) It is extremely important that teens do not take steroids, as the body is still in the developing stage and can lead to further increased risks than adults. The National Institute on Drug Abuse and the University of Michigan performed a 2013 study called “Monitoring the Future” in order to collect statistics on 389 public and private schools student steroid use percentage was. The samples collected showed that steroid use was 4 times higher in men than the steroid use of women. 2.9% of 41,700 students being tested by this study had engaged in the use of steroids. (Tasian, Sarah) Steroid use in student athletes is a dangerous risk that goes overlooked in the public school systems. To prevent the usage of these performance-enhancing drugs and increase the

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