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PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF STEROIDS.
  Term Paper ID:16201 		Get This Paper Free! or
Essay Subject:
Reasons for popularity among athletes, risks & rewards, studies, irritability, aggressiveness, belief in self increased.... More...
4 Pages / 900 Words
5 sources, 10 Citations, APA Format
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Paper Abstract:
Reasons for popularity among athletes, risks & rewards, studies, irritability, aggressiveness, belief in self increased.

Paper Introduction:
Outline I. Introduction A. Focus is on psychological effects of steroids B. Topics to be covered II. Reasons behind steroid popularity A. Shift away from education and personal growth B. Emphasis on winning 1. Television rewards 2. Rewards lead to downplaying risks C. Real risks, such as cancer, not recognized III. Human Studies A. Divided on strength increases B. Difficulties in interpreting data C. Impossibility of double blind studies

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Reasons behind steroid popularity A. Human Studies A. Mellion, M. Clinics in Sports Medicine, 5 3, 461-469. Role of cortisol in producing steroid effects Steroids in athletics is the topic of this paper, which will stressthe psychological aspects of steroid use. Among the issues raised will bewhether steroids increase aggressiveness, diminish fatigue or otherwise actso as to make athletes feel that they will perform better. OutlineI. Athletes also hope that steroids will result inshorter healing times for muscle injuries. H. Undesirable steroid effects perceived included lowervoice, increased facial hair, and increased aggressiveness (caused problemsin personal relationships, but increased the drive to practice andcompete). Winning outweighs bad side effects B. Rewards lead to downplaying risks C. Impossibility of double blind studies 1. Problems inrunning controlled studies related to psychological aspects of steroiduse.will also be discussed. Topics to be coveredII. et al. Steroid blocking of cortisol uptake at the muscle site would slowbreakdown of protein and produce abnormally large muscles (some of the sizeincrease is due to increased muscle water, and expanded muscle is high innitrogen and low in phosphorous). Athletes hope that the drug will produce greatereffects than resistance changing alone. Increased strength from using anabolic steroids might be dueto increased aggressiveness carrying over into strength training, ratherthan from steroid effects on muscles. & Lowenthal, D.T. & Kurowski, T.G. Word of mouth, rumor information sourcesIV. Androgens and hepatocellularcarcinoma in athlete. The psychological,economic and social rewards of competitive success are sufficientinducement for some athletes to overlook or minimize steroid side effectsin the effort to increase strength and improve performance (Mellion, 1984). high doses D. Steroids may alsoblock liver uptake of cortisol (Mellion, 1984). AmericanFamily Physician, 3 1, 113-119. Introduction A. ethical considerations r.e. (1985, May). Anabolic steroids in athletics. Many human studies report no positive effects instrength or endurance training from steroids. Rationale for steroid use were that it was an individualright, undesirable side effects were acceptable, and drugs were necessaryto win. Athletes also desire the decreasedmuscle recovery time from heavy exercise that allows more frequent heavyweight training sessions. Many athletes take steroids for the aggressive effects they believeare produced. However, some studiesindicate that steroids can increase lean body mass, body weight, body sizeand strength more than strength training alone. (1984). Increased libido was deemed desirable. One recent case reported inthe medical literature involved a 26-year old white male athlete who hadbeen taking anabolic steroids (methandrostenolone, oxandrolone, stanozolol,nandrolone decanoate, mehtenolone) for four years to build up his musclemass for body-building contests. Emphasis in athletics has shifted from the educational and growthexperience to an almost obsessional fixation on winning. Perlmutter, G. Also results ofstudies may vary by type of steroid used, intake route and duration oftreatment (Hickson & Kurowski, 1986). Annals of Internal Medicine, 1 l, 158-159. Shift away from education and personal growth B. (1986, July). Hickson and Kurowski (1986) reviewed the literature on anabolicsteroids and training. One studycited concerns perceived effects of anabolic steroid use in weight-trainedwomen. Overly, W. (1985, October). Athletes like aggressive effects E. Focus is on psychological effects of steroids B. Anabolic steroid use andperceived effects in ten weight-trained women athletes. B. Psychological belief in better performanceV. Psychological implications related to athleteknowledge of adverse steroid effects will also be mentioned. Associations between liver cancerand steroid use go back more than two decades. Difficulties in interpreting data C. The women were against drug testing, and said they would alterdrug use to avoid detection (Strauss et al., 1985). L. JAMA, 253 19, 2871-2873.----------------------- 2 Women weight lifters perceive increased strength, muscle size andperformance -- subjective, not objective measures. Divided on strength increases B. Real risks, such as cancer, not recognizedIII. Scientific evidence on whetheranabolic steroids help or hinder athletic performance is inconclusive(Mellion, 1984). The emphasis on competition is not confined justto the professionals, it has shifted down to Division I college sports,small colleges, high schools and even little leagues. The athlete died soon after discovery of thehepatic malignancy, and autopsy showed a tumor had taken over the liver(Overly et al., 1984). athletes aware of aggressiveness 3. It is unlikely that there will be many controlled studies becausepsychological concerns about potential steroid side effects would keep manyathletes from participating. It should be emphasized that athletes are either ignorant oremploying some sort of psychological denial mechanism in overlookingpotential fatal steroid side effects. American Family Physicians, 32 4, 2 8-21 . Women weight lifters A. There is also a demonstratedplacebo effect associated with anabolic steroids (Mellion, 1984). Network and cabletelevision has made sports into entertainment that rewards star performersmaterially and socially. Athletes can distinguish steroids from placebos because the steroidscause either aggressiveness or irritability. Strauss, R. Interpretation of data isdifficult because true double blind studies (with neither athlete norexperimenter aware) have not been possible -- athletes are able todistinguish placebos from real steroid treatments and dosages ofcompetitive athletes cannot be used for ethical reasons. Anabolic steroids may increase total body cortisol, which maydecrease muscle fatigue and increase arousal of the central nervous system. Faster recovery time means more training G. Television rewards 2. (1984, January). Emphasis on winning 1. Nonetheless, accelerated increasesin strength and muscle mass are positive psychological rewards that leadathletes to use steroids. Use of anabolicsteroids by athletes. Since it isnot known how long residues will persist in the body, it is hard to knowwhether steroid residues or placebo effects are at work (Mellion, 1984). Athletes decreased fatigue F. "Anabolic steroids andtraining. References Hickson, R.C. With half ofstudies saying that anabolic steroids increase strength and half sayingthat anabolic steroids do not increase strength, psychological effects mustbe given high credibility (Perlmutter & Lowenthal, 1985). Steroid use continuesbecause of psychological belief that sports performance is better with thanwithout steroids. Studies with weight lifters indicate strong psychological effects, withsignificantly improved performance when athletes thought they werereceiving anabolic steroids but were instead given placebos. The athlete, who reported to physicianswhen he was losing weight and feeling generalized malaise had previouslybeen free of any disease. athletes aware of irritability 2. No significance wasattached to decreased breast size, enlarged clitoris or menstrual cessationor diminution. Athletes participating in controlled studiesmight be most likely to be those already using the substance. The secrecy surrounding anabolic steroid use by athletes makes wordof mouth and rumor the chief source of athlete hopes and motivation.Typical reports are of increased muscle mass, increased strength, increasedaggressiveness, lessened levels of fatigue and better athletic performance. Muscles of elite bodybuilders andpowerlifters using steroids have higher than usual numbers of structuralabnormalities like atrophied fibers and central nuclei.

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