Steroid+Use+Among+High+School+Athletes+by+Carrie+Blankenship

= Steroid Use Among High School Athletes =

Overview
In recent years steroid use by professional athletes has become a common occurrence in news headlines across the United States. However, recent research shows that steroid use has not only increased in the realm of professional sports but is now plaguing high school athletics nationwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that steroid use among high school athletes has doubled since 1991 (Moore, 2005). Approximately 3.5% of high school students have used or experimented with steroids. High schools, school districts, statewide federations, coaches, and parents have all begun to notice the increased usage and involvement of these performance enhancing drugs among our young athletes (Moore, 2005).

Many question if the highly publicized grand jury testimonies and indictments of superstars such as Jason Giambi, Barry Bonds, Gary Sheffield, and Marion Jones have led to the increased usage instead of discouraging our youth. Matt Chaney (2010) states that steroids are unavoidable in high school athletics due to their accessibility and in some cases parental encouragement. Students are not the only ones pushing for steroid use during athletics. Parents often ask pediatricians for supplements that they deem “safer” than what is purchased over the counter. Steroid use is often kept quiet among peers and student athletes. Many adolescent users become dependent on the drug and are not mature enough to understand the long term damage they are doing physically and emotionally.

Many coaches state that student athlete use is minimal and proclaim that professional athletes should not be viewed as role models. Critics of adolescent steroid use are calling for stricter laws, steroid testing, and anti-steroid education campaigns to be placed in schools across the nation. Government health officials deem that the increased use of steroids is due to the fact “that kids do it for what society would view as a very positive values, winning, and success.” Many parents and coaches embrace the idea that “it’s always somebody else’s kid. It’s always somebody else’s school (Chaney, 2010).”

Steroid use on the high school level is often discovered through drastic changes in behavior by the user (Gober, 2006). Anabolic-androgenic steroids are composed of synthetic derivatives from the male hormone known as testosterone. Steroids are legally assessible and often prescribed to patients suffering from deficiency in hormone production. Steroids themselves retain nitrogen within the body. This retained nitrogen coupled with exercise, high protein diets, and training produce increase size and strength in an individual’s muscles therefore increasing stamina and decreasing recovery time after workouts.

Steroid use to adolescents appears to be a means to create amazing bodies and with no consequences. Coffey (2007) describes one student’s desire for the perfect body shape. This adolescent began using steroids at the age of 15 to improve his physique for football and wrestling. At the peak of his usage, this student athlete was consuming up to 50 times more than the normal level of testosterone found in the human body. Although this student received the ideal body he was searching for, he also received a host of side effects that ranged from severe depression and sleeplessness, to difficulty in school.

Trend or Issue
The subject of steroid use among high school athletics can be viewed as both a trend and an issue. Webster’s definition of trend is “to show tendency”, and an issue is defined as “a matter that is disputed between two parties.” Steroid use among high school athletes falls directly between both these pivotal definitions. Gober and Paul (2006) state that the prevalence of steroid use among student athletes is an ever y growing arena for concern and calls for school administrators, faculty, and staff members to initiate intervention programs in efforts to reduce the use of steroids among students. Gober and Paul (2006) also list several important physical changes and health risks associated with steroid abuse. Students can suffer from emotional and behavioral changes, thoughts of suicide, body image issues, and dangerous levels of athletic performance stress on the body. Below is a breakdown of supporting materials to help readers understand steroid use as both a trend and an issue.

Trend:
David Moore, writer for USA Today brought to light the increasing trend of student athlete steroid abuse in 2006. Moore discovered that anabolic steroid use among adolescent athletes begin as early as eighth grade and continue until either the user is discovered or severe medical problems present themselves. Many educators, administrators, and community leaders view steroid use as “nothing to be concerned about.” For example, Richard Simpson, superintendent of Ventura County, California states “Of greater concern to us is the use of alcohol and marijuana at weekend parties.” Simpson like so many others are embracing the idea that “this too shall pass” just as other fads have.

Trend?:
Wayne Coffey (2007), writer for New York Daily News, addresses the consequences of unmonitored steroid use among high school athletes. Coffey states that steroid abuse is an ever growing trend affecting the whole nation. Currently several studies published within the academic realm are contradicting the effect and increased usage by student athletes. A 2007 study conducted by the University of Michigan concluded that steroid use among athletes was a declining trend. On the other hand, The Center for Disease Controls Youth Risk Behavior Survey showed an increase in usage among high school athletes confirming that the trend is definitely increasing.

Issue:
Terney and McLain (1990) noted that there is very limited documented research or scientific literature about anabolic steroid use among adolescents. A brief history from their report states that in 1977, The American College of Sports Medicine formally banned the use of anabolic steroids by student athletes nationwide. The Terney and McLain study was designed to establish a baseline anabolic steroid use among high school students. Students were asked to complete a questionnaire concerning this topic. Their study revealed that 67 males and 27 females from their testing subject number of 1085 admitted to steroid use. Another shocking factor of this survey showed that non-athletic teens were also using steroids during the time of testing. Matt Chaney (2010) also supports the idea that steroid use among high school athletes is a major issue plaguing the United States today. Chaney’s article is written nearly 10 years after the Terney and McLain study but the facts remain the same. High school students are not just using steroids for major impact sports such as football and wrestling, but also for sports such as baseball, track and field, and cheerleading. The use of this drug is also not limited to varsity teams but branching out to junior varsity athletic teams and even community sports. Researchers believe the only way to make steroid use among student athletes not an issue is to implement prevention programs and drug testing as well as encourage active participation from parents, teachers, administrators, and community leaders.

Prevention/Recovery Programs:
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[|Anabolic steroid use in adolescent and high schools.] Steroidabuse.com offers this great article covering the use of anabolic steroids among our adolescent population. This article highlights potential risks, how to identify addiction, and prevention/education support.

[|Chaney, M.] (May 14, 2010). Steroid us unpreventable in high school football. This article is an opinion piece written for the Steroid Times. Matt Chaney establishes his point of view that steroid use among high school athletes are inevitable do to societal influences. Chaney reflects on his own experiences and synthesis information gathered through interviews to support his theory.

[|Coffey, W]. (December 16, 2007). Teens’ big worry: For high school athletes, steroids still the rage. NY Daily News. Coffey offers and inside view of steroid use in high schools across America. Coffey straddles the line of debate if steroid use among our youth is a trend or issue.

Gober, S., McCabe, P., & Klein, M. (2006). Adolescents and steroids: What principals should know. Principal Leadership, 7 (3), 11-15. This journal article presents information to readers concerning the effects of anabolic steroid use on student athletes. Researchers present health risks, emotional and behavioral risks, along with key roles administrators and community leaders should take to address the growing issue of steroid abuse and prevention management.

[|Moore, D.L.] (May 4, 2005). School tackles alarming subject: Steroid use. USA Today. David Moore’s article for USA Today presents readers with first hand accounts of steroid use among high school athletes. Moore highlights the response from fellow students, teachers, and coaches about this increasing issue.

Terney, R. & McLain, L. (1990). The use of anabolic steroids in high school students. AJDC, 144, 99-103. The purpose of this journal article is to provide information related to the physical and mental needs of student athletes. Terney and McLain present readers with statistical information and projections of high school students and their steroid use.