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Bulking Up: The Dangers of Steroids Objectives ¾ ¾ ¾ To explain the medial and non-medical uses of steroids. To document the short-and long-term risks associated with taking steroids. To counter the assumption that any risks associated with steroid use are outweighed by benefits. heart condition, which threatens his life, is linked to the use of steroids. The program shows conclusively that steroid-enlarged physiques are no bargain. There is just no way of knowing what quantity of the drug will set off serious, irreversible side effects. Steroid use is not a simple shortcut to muscle—it’s a chemical game of Russian roulette. Questions to ask before viewing ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ Background for the discussion leader ¾ Synopsis We live in a society that enjoys instant gratification: we want results, and we want them now. It’s not surprising, then, that many young men and women, looking for ways to increase strength and muscle tone, take a shortcut with steroids. But the cost of “meat” may be higher than they think. People often think that steroids are relatively harmless substance, or that their benefits far outweigh their risks. But they’re wrong. These drugs can cause serious side effects that may prove fatal. Hosted by Olympic medallist Bruce Jenner, this program looks at the consequences of anabolic steroid use. Together with U.S. Olympic trainer Dr. Gail Weldon, and Dr, Forest Tennant, Drug Advisor to the NFL, he outlines many of the short-and long-term side effects associated with taking steroids. These problems include cystic acne, impotence, sterility, abnormal liver function, a greater risk of cancer—and an increase in blood pressure and cholesterol that may lead to heart disease, stroke, and early death. Other sports figures weigh in. Former Olympian Rosalyn Bryant, would champion body builder Kevin Lawrence, and LA Rams strength coach Garrett Giemont attest to the dangers of steroid abuse. Former NFL lineman Steve Courson reveals that the estimated that two to three million people currently abuse anabolic steroids. ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ Anabolic steroids are a group of powerful compounds closely related to the male hormone testosterone. In combination with a program of muscle training and diet, they can contribute to increases in body weight and strength. When first developed in the 1930s, steroids were used in a medical environment for rehabilitation purposes. Today, the Food and Drug Administration allows for anabolic steroids use only to treat certain kinds of anemia, breast cancer, and allergies. In the late 1950s, otherwise healthy athletes began using steroids to improve their performance. By the mid 1970s, steroid use by athletes was widespread, despite the risk of disqualification from competition. By the 1980s not only athletes and body builders were using steroids: social pressure to “look good” prompted non-athletes to begin taking them in record numbers. Most of these drugs are bought from underthe-counter dealers found through contacts at the gym. The perception that “more is better” leads athletes and non-athletes alike to selfprescribe huge doses of steroids for long periods of time, compounding the risk of serious side effects. The scope of the problems has reached epidemic proportions: in the United States, it’s Why do you think people use steroids? In today’s competitive athletic climate, do you think that it’s probably necessary to take steroids to win? Would you say that steroids are a relatively “risk-free” way to add muscle? Are you aware of any side effects that can develop from the use of steroids? Do you think that the bad press steroids get is mostly hype? Questions to ask after viewing 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What are anabolic steroids? (Synthetic derivatives of testosterone, the male hormone responsible for development of masculine sex characteristics.) How can steroids damage a male’s physical appearance? (They can over stimulate the skin’s oil glands, causing acne—often-cystic acne that leaves severe scarring and discoloration on the face, chest, or back. They can produce premature baldness, and mat cause feminine breasts to develop—which can only be removed by surgery.) What sexual problems can steroids create for the males who take them? (Testicles can shrink; libido can be affected; men can become impotent; a man’s sperm count can be lowered to the point of sterility.) What effects do anabolic steroids have on female user? (They often take on male characteristics: facial hair growth, an enlarged Adam’s apple, a deepened voice, male pattern baldness. Additionally, steroids often produce menstrual irregularities, which can affect a woman’s potential for childbearing. These changes may be irreversible.) What particular problem can steroids cause in teenage boys? (Stunted growth. Too much testosterone can cause early fusion of the long bones and premature stoppage of growth.) 6. What risks to internal organs may result from taking steroids? (Abnormalities of the hormonal system; abnormal liver function; heart disease; a greater risk of liver cancer, and testicular and prostate cancers in men.) 7. What is probably the biggest single risk that people take when they use steroids? (Damage to the heart. Because it’s a muscle, the heart grows abnormally large. Blood pressure increases, and cholesterol levels are skewed—good cholesterol goes down and bad cholesterol goes up. These factors can result in heart disease, an accelerated or irregular heartbeat, and an increased risk of stroke.) 8. Why does steroid use contribute to bodily injuries? (Anabolic steroids make muscles grow, but do not affect connective tendons and ligaments. The enlarged, heavy muscles thus put extra stress on small tendons and ligaments that weren’t made to support them. This often results, because steroids also suppress the immune system, these injuries can take a long time to heal.) 9. How can taking steroids affect the personality? (The increased testosterone level causes aggression, a low boiling point, and lack of control. This is especially true of teenage boys, who already have a high level of testosterone.) 10. Why is it particularly dangerous to buy steroids on the black market? (People self-prescribe the type of steroid and dosage they take, with no medical follow up. And under-the-counter dealers get their supplies wherever they can. Often that means illegal basement laboratories, which produce counterfeit drugs made from whatever materials are on hand. These drugs can sometimes be poisonous.) Length ¾ 23 Minutes AIMS Discussion Guide Subject areas ¾ Drug Education, Substance Abuse Prevention Audience Levels ¾ Senior High-Adult Hosted By Bruce Jenner. Catalog number ¾ Bulking Up: The Dangers of Steroids 8158 Annotation Bruce Jenner hosts this look at the problems and risks associated with the use of anabolic steroids. Sports medicine doctors and well-known athletes outline the potentially harmful short and long-term consequences of taking steroids. AIMS Multimedia 9710 DeSoto Avenue Chatsworth, Ca 91311 (818) 773-4300 (800) 367-2467 www.aimsmultimedia.com