Future Implications
The use and abuse of performance enhancing drugs, most notably among youth, has many severe and permanent effects on both male and female health. According to The Livestrong Foundation, the use and abuse of performance enhancing drugs can immediately bring about drastic mood changes in the user. Most commonly, these are, “severe mood swings---which may include episodes of depression, irritability, hostility or aggression”[1]. Extended use brings about even more debilitating and permanent effects on the user. For men, among the associated risks are reduced sperm count, decreased hormone and sex-drive levels, higher voices, infertility, enlarged breasts, and enlarged prostates. Women may have permanently developed increased bodily hair, rough skin, decreased breast size, and deeper voices. Together, men and women both experience stunted growth, delayed puberty, and higher risk of heart attacks and strokes if used in their youth, liver disease, male-pattern hair loss, severe acne, skin infections, and liver disease[2].
Performance enhancing drugs improve various areas of physical fitness including increased protein synthesis, which leads to muscle growth and expansion, increased personal desire for physical fitness (as stimulated by the extensive aggression some athletes receive when using performance enhancing drugs), and reduced muscle damage during intensive workout sessions, but this doesn’t mean that the physical fitness benefits are received in the same fashion as physical fitness achieved without the use of performance enhancing drugs. Performance enhancing drugs also may create hypertensions, cardiovascular issues, and tendinitis/tendon rupture[3].
[1] Wilkinson, Juliet. "Short-Term Effects of Steroids." Livestrong.com. Livestrong Foundation, 29 Sept. 2012. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/263563-short-term-effects-of-steroids/>.
[2] "Men's Health." Steroid Effects: Abuse of Anabolic Steroids. WebMD, 30 June 2011. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://men.webmd.com/guide/anabolic-steroid-abuse-topic-overview>.
[3] Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Performance-enhancing Drugs: Know the Risks." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 23 Dec. 2010. Web. 30 Nov. 2012. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/performance-enhancing-drugs/HQ01105>.
Performance enhancing drugs improve various areas of physical fitness including increased protein synthesis, which leads to muscle growth and expansion, increased personal desire for physical fitness (as stimulated by the extensive aggression some athletes receive when using performance enhancing drugs), and reduced muscle damage during intensive workout sessions, but this doesn’t mean that the physical fitness benefits are received in the same fashion as physical fitness achieved without the use of performance enhancing drugs. Performance enhancing drugs also may create hypertensions, cardiovascular issues, and tendinitis/tendon rupture[3].
[1] Wilkinson, Juliet. "Short-Term Effects of Steroids." Livestrong.com. Livestrong Foundation, 29 Sept. 2012. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/263563-short-term-effects-of-steroids/>.
[2] "Men's Health." Steroid Effects: Abuse of Anabolic Steroids. WebMD, 30 June 2011. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://men.webmd.com/guide/anabolic-steroid-abuse-topic-overview>.
[3] Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Performance-enhancing Drugs: Know the Risks." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 23 Dec. 2010. Web. 30 Nov. 2012. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/performance-enhancing-drugs/HQ01105>.
Before using performance enhancing drugs, one must understand the implications beyond ‘physical fitness’ associated with the drugs, including but not limited to: increasing likelihood of stroke and heart failure; diminished interpersonal relationships; stunted growth and physical abnormalities (including gynecomastia, and severe acne); giving up the ability to parent children of your own. While ‘physical fitness’ may sound like an enticing reason to use performance enhancing drugs, much of the performance in the workplace and in one’s home life is sacrificed.
However, in the future, people may begin to manipulate their bodies at the genetic level, rather than with the use of performance enhancing drugs. As science continues to progress, it may become possible to manipulate genes to code protein myostatin, which would then cause increased muscle mass. As scientific techniques and technologies continue to improve, the progression of performance enhancing drugs becomes quite daunting.
Critical Thinking Questions:
1. Do you think the use of performance enhancing drugs will increase or decrease in the future? Why?
2. From your knowledge on the topic, why do you think increased protein synthesis causes muscle growth and expansion?
3. What do you think could be done to stop performance enhancing drug use in the future?
2. From your knowledge on the topic, why do you think increased protein synthesis causes muscle growth and expansion?
3. What do you think could be done to stop performance enhancing drug use in the future?
Sources:
[1] Wilkinson, Juliet. "Short-Term Effects of Steroids." Livestrong.com. Livestrong Foundation, 29 Sept. 2012. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/263563-short-term-effects-of-steroids/>.
[2] "Men's Health." Steroid Effects: Abuse of Anabolic Steroids. WebMD, 30 June 2011. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://men.webmd.com/guide/anabolic-steroid-abuse-topic-overview>.
[3] Source: http://personaltrainerz.com/spotlight-on-drugs-in-gyms-and-harmful-effects-of-steroid-abuse/1010
[4] Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Performance-enhancing Drugs: Know the Risks." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 23 Dec. 2010. Web. 30 Nov. 2012. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/performance-enhancing-drugs/HQ01105>.
[2] "Men's Health." Steroid Effects: Abuse of Anabolic Steroids. WebMD, 30 June 2011. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://men.webmd.com/guide/anabolic-steroid-abuse-topic-overview>.
[3] Source: http://personaltrainerz.com/spotlight-on-drugs-in-gyms-and-harmful-effects-of-steroid-abuse/1010
[4] Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Performance-enhancing Drugs: Know the Risks." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 23 Dec. 2010. Web. 30 Nov. 2012. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/performance-enhancing-drugs/HQ01105>.