Steroids - Articles

Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Mark McGwire; the names should evoke memories of homerun heroics on professional baseballs biggest stages. After all McGwire shattered the single season homerun record set by Roger Maris, one of the longest standing records in all of sport. Sosa has more 60-homer seasons than any player in history, and Bonds has hit more homers than any other man that has ever played Major League Baseball. Still, this threesome wont be remembered for the prowess at the plate, but rather by the extreme means they took to attain it.

Bonds, Sosa, and McGwire are the posterboys for baseballs steroid age. The threesome thrilled crowds with their play, only to break those same fans hearts when it was revealed that they had enhanced their abilities by using dangerous, illegal anabolic steroids as part of their training. Now the three exist in a sort of baseball limbo as the debate rages as to what, if anything, can be done to exorcise the ghosts of the games steroid-fueled past.

Steroids are artificial versions of the naturally produced hormone testosterone. Present in both men and women testosterone is a trigger for male sexual traits, and is responsible for causing muscle growth in both sexes. Anabolic, meaning to build or to grow, refers to steroids taken in such a way as to try and build muscle tissue faster. Many people think that anabolic steroids have a direct affect in on-field performance, but this is not the case. The steroid tricks the body into recovering from workouts and games faster by triggering healing responses in the muscles. Over time this leads to increased stamina and muscle-mass and the increased strength that goes along with it. While the restorative properties of the drugs make them seem like a panacea for tired or injured athletes, the risks of prolonged use far outweigh the benefits.

It has been proven that steroids weaken the immune system. Users of steroids are far more likely to suffer from infections and have weakened defenses against germs and diseases. This is especially dangerous for athletes because of their exposure to environments that may promote the growth of staph and other viruses. Steroid use in teenagers has been shown to reduce or stunt bone growth, meaning a teenage user might not grow to what would have been their normal adult height. The drugs also affect the brains limbic system, which helps control learning and memory. This can impair learning and may also lead to changes in mood and feelings of depression or irritability. Sometimes steroids trigger overly aggressive or violent behavior. This reaction is so common among longtime male users that the media coined the phrase roid rage to describe it. Steroids also damage an area of the brain called the hypothalamus. This group of nerve cells at the base of the brain control appetite, moods, reproductive ability, and blood pressure. Impairing the normal operation of the hypothalamus will disrupt hormone production sometimes causing irreversible damage to the reproductive and immune systems.

In 2005 MLB owners and players approved tough penalties for players that test positive for steroid use. A first positive test results in a 50-game suspension, a second positive test garners a 100-game suspension, and a third positive test results in a lifetime ban from the game. To date no player has tested positive for the drug three times. MLB also launched the Mitchell probe into steroid use among its players in 2006. Former Senator George J. Mitchell led the investigation that was largely in response to the book Game of Shadows. The book alleged that the use of performance-enhancing drugs was rampant in baseball. The ensuing report issued following the investigation named 80 current or former Major Leaguers said to have used performance enhancers.