The Consequences of Steroids

A few years ago I found out that a very close friend of mine was taking steroids. Since I really was not sure what damage steroids could cause or if they were even dangerous I decided to look up some information on the subject and this is what I found. The majority of people who use steroids are those seeking a muscular body or a leaner figure or those who are involved in sports. Kids as young as 12 are currently taking steroids. The most popular performance boosting drug is known as anabolic steroids. They are a very powerful synthetic version of the male hormone testosterone. Originally steroids were meant to be used as an aid for bringing on puberty for those that were delayed, due to disease or surgery. Many kids are under immense pressure to try this today. After talking to a few parents at my children’s school, I found that their children are obsessed with looking like a famous athlete or being able to be the best at any competition. To many of them it is all about winning. Some young girls are even starting to take steroids in an attempt to try and alter their figure.

I have found that there are quite a few risks that come along with taking steroids. The non prescription steroids are very easy for kids to obtain and take. Even if someone plans on only taking them for a short time they can still increase their risk of a heart attack, liver failure, kidney failure, and even some psychiatric problems. And if these young girls actually took the time to find out the side affects of what steroids can do to them they probably would not take them. For example steroids can give them menstrual abnormalities, increased growth of body hair, male pattern baldness, and even a permanently deepened voice. The friend that I spoke of earlier in this article even said that they experience sudden bouts of aggressiveness. Did you know that if they are taken when you are too you it can stunt your growth?

I shared all of this information with my friend and he decided not to continue taking them. However this is not easy for some people who become addicted or obsessed with taking steroids. If you think that someone in your family or even a friend is taking steroids or if they are just talking about it you may want to suggest that they do some research on the topic or even talk to a doctor about the pro’s and con’s of steroids. And if you are a parent and suspect that one of your children is taking steroids stop it immediately. The younger a child is when they start, the more dangerous it is to their development and their growth. If you want to make sure that your children are not pressured to take steroids than you should be careful who they associate with.