Steroids

1. I enjoyed this video because it explored an unpopular view and made me question my views on the issue of steroids as well as some of the things I’d been taught about the effects and dangers of steroid use. It’s very important to see what people with firsthand experience have to say about the matter considering that most of those who rail against steroids today do not have that same knowledge.

With that said, I had a few problems with things that were said and not said in this video. First, the men seemed to downplay some of the health risks that are involved with steroids. Dr. Norm Fox casually mentions the fact that “they [steroids] make the good cholesterol go down and the bad cholesterol go up” but does not elaborate on the problems associated with high cholesterol. He also semi-dodges the question of why doctors are wrong and does not address their specific arguments. Next, the study includes only “healthy adult men” which leaves out a number of people for which steroid use may be a concern. One also must consider the fact that steroid use is a relatively new development and while the report does utilize long time steroid users, it is safe to assume that it will take some time before we truly know all the side effects of steroid usage. Steroids today may not be the same thing that they were many years ago and that could be bad news for current users. While there is evidence put forth that suggests some of the health risks may be exaggerated, there is no mention of the psychological or mental effects of steroid use, most notably the condition commonly referred to as “roid rage.” This is something that could be of great concern to friends and family of steroid users. Finally, the steroid issue is most frequently discussed in the context of sports, and the impact they have on the games played. This is another issue not addressed in this clip. Even if some of the common beliefs about steroids turn out to be false, is it ethical for certain players to use these performance enhancing drugs while others may shy away from something that they still don’t completely understand? I was very surprised that a ten minute piece about steroids would not mention their connection to professional sports.

After seeing this video, I am slightly less skeptical of the belief that steroids can be used responsibly, though still not fully convinced. I still think it’s very possible that this could just be one of those things that work great for one person but produce entirely different results for another. Like most potentially dangerous substances, it seems very likely that there are safer ways of using steroids, namely limiting the frequency of usage and the dosage used each time. It appears that the men in this video did both those things. However, I think we still need to be concerned about what happens when people do not use these drugs responsibly, as that could make a huge difference.


2. I still have many doubts as to whether the benefits of steroid use outweigh the negative effects, and for the time being I think that sports leagues should uphold their policy of no anabolic steroids. At the professional level, I think drug testing is a good idea because it is pointless to say that athletes aren’t allowed to use steroids but not do anything to enforce that rule. Many fans today are worried that performance enhancing drugs in professional sports compromise the integrity of the sports, and it is almost certain that a number of players in baseball and other sports have used them. With testing, there is a better chance that the steroid problem will start to get better rather than worse.

I think high schools ought to enforce the same rules, as it is likely to be even more dangerous for people their age to be using these drugs, especially if they do not fully understand how they work. However, this is a little more difficult to regulate as different schools and states may have different laws. While a plan such as the one put forward in Texas creates a random testing situation similar to the one that Major League Baseball players currently face, but it does not guarantee that all students will be tested. Also, when many schools are not giving drug tests, a situation could arise where some young athletes aren’t given a chance to play professionally, while others do get to the pros, only to be busted for steroids once they’ve made it. The best way we can prevent high school athletes from using steroids as well is to try and shed them of the impression that all the pros are using them and that they must do the same if they want to have a chance. I believe that steroids are the same for every sport and while each league has the right to make its own rules, they should all take a stand against these drugs.

Given the pressure that is put on athletes from a very young age, and given the competitive nature that our country takes pride in, I think Hoberman makes a valid point in suggesting that this problem should come as no surprise. Once a few athletes decide to take a risk and try and get ahead in their game, it is only natural that others will do the same to try and keep up. Steroid use becomes the norm, athletes perform better, and young people are forced to make dangerous decisions in the hopes that it will get them to the place they dream of going. Though we are a society that encourages honesty and hard work, there is no question that we put great emphasis on being the best we can be. This often creates a difficult situation for anyone that is trying desperately to achieve a certain goal and feeling that if they cheat and get away with it, the dream will come true. Competition is the name of the game here in America, and when there are so many athletes across the country, they are constantly trying to find ways to set themselves apart from the rest. Unfortunately, in this case, that means that for many of them, steroids are just something that they must do in order to make it.