# data[].attributes.body
I'll finish this tommorow

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
By Terry Frieden, CNN Justice Producer

Four failed to mention use on medical forms, prosecutors say

The prescriptions were not needed, affidavits say

Arrests stem from investigation

Washington (CNN) -- Four FBI employees have been arrested and charged with concealing their use of anabolic steroids and HGH, human growth hormone, Washington's top federal prosecutor announced Wednesday.

U.S. Attorney Ronald Machen Jr. said three veteran FBI agents and an FBI intelligence analyst were charged with omitting any mention of the use of steroids on required medical forms.

Machen said the arrests followed an investigation by the the FBI and the inspectors general for the Justice Department and the Office of Personnel Management.

According to the arrest affidavits unsealed in U.S. District Court in Washington, the FBI employees received numerous prescriptions for steroids and HGH "for which there was no known medical necessity." The statement by the prosecutor said doctors had provided the employees with diagnoses that included pituitary dwarfism.

"The four are accused of omitting any mention of the treatment or prescriptions on medical histories provided on forms that are used to regularly assess their fitness for duty," Machen said.

Those arrested Wednesday are agents James Barnett, 42, and Katia Litton, 42, assigned to the Washington field office; Litton's husband, Matthew Litton, 39, who is assigned to the FBI's Critical Incident Response Group; and Ali Sawan, 45, an intelligence analyst assigned to the FBI's Counterterrorism Division.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
FBI employees charged with concealing steroid use

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By Terry Frieden, CNN Justice Producer Four failed to mention use on medical forms, prosecutors say The prescriptions were not needed, affidavits say Arrests stem from investigation Washington (CNN) -- Four FBI employees have been arrested and charged with concealing their use of anabolic steroids and HGH, human growth hormone, Washington's top federal prosecutor announced Wednesday.

# data[].attributes.body
This article is biased and describes the positives and negatives of PEDs.

-Liver damage

-High cholesterol levels, Hypertension

-Aggressive behavior or mood swings

-Severe depression

-Heart health problems, such as irregular heartbeats

+Short term positives like muscle mass, and more stamina

# data[].attributes.body
This article describes the effects of steroid use in chess and the debate of whether the drug should be allowed in the game.

+Gives good points for both sides

+Describes the effects of steroids

+It is a recent article

-The outcome of the debate is not reported

# data[].attributes.body
The pros of steroid use:

-Improves athletic ability and gives edge during a competition

-Allows athletes to lose weight

-Improves muscular strength and performance

-Provides muscles more oxygen and increases muscle mass

-Increases visual appearance

-Increases strength ability

+Gives many examples of the pros of steroid use

-Not very long, mainly opinion.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
These websites will educate you more about the use of steroids and help your further understanding of anabolic steroids....

# data[].attributes.body
Maybe We Should Just Legalize Steroids For Pro Athletes

If athletes are aware of the dangers of performance enhancing drugs and are willing to do so anyway, shouldn’t that be a risk that they have the right to take.  Some athletes need to take these.  Cyclist  Hamilton needed to do these he says to make a living.

+ Article addresses why athletes should be allowed to use steroids

- Bias

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Travis T. Tygart, the Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency was seated in a plush chair on the raised stage, his fingers intertwined. To his left was Tyler Hamilton, a retired pro cyclist and former member of Lance Armstrong's U.S. Postal Tour de France team, slumped forward, his head slightly bowed. He appears weary but grimly determined; a pose not dissimilar to that of a soldier fighting a war that he fears he cannot ultimately win yet refuses to surrender.

To the throng of eager, data analyzing, current and future sports executives at the the 2014 MIT Sloan Sports Conference, Tygart said, "The analytics are only as good as the foundation upon which they're based. And if they're not pure-if drugs that influence the numbers-everything else you're doing at this conference is almost rendered meaningless."

But is it? Tygart and Hamilton's presentation was meant to be an object lesson in the evils of performance enhancing drugs, or PEDs. But instead of moral outrage, I left not knowing who the evildoers were and if there was anything "evil" occurring at all.

Tygart's warning shot was fired in room 304 of the Hynes Convention Center in Boston for the Sloan Conference, a massive gathering of the self-anointed best and brightest to explore the newest, wild frontiers in sports analytics. The exception was this oddball panel entitled, "Risking it All: Why Championship Athletes Dope and What it Means for Sport." And If Tygart was the crusading general, Hamilton, the cyclist to his left, was one of the casualties.

Hamilton got busted for PED's at the peak of his career, right after he nabbed the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athena. For years afterward, he vehemently denied all charges, slinging excuses that are all-too-familiar to anyone who's suffered through any of Alex Rodriguez's or Barry Bonds' moon-faced, clenched-jaw denials-the testing process itself was flawed, there was some mishap with his blood by a bumbling, overworked lab geek, attempts to discredit the USADA and the various reporters, suggesting that there were ulterior motives at play and so on.

Eventually, after testing positive for a second time in 2008 and receiving a second ban, he came clean, testifying before a Federal Grand Jury that was investigating his former teammate, Lance Armstrong in 2010.

For both Tygart and Hamilton, this is a moral question that eschews any and all ambiguous shades of gray. As Hamilton detailed pain that lying caused for him and those around him, he was also just as clear that, even though he was able to rationalize his actions at the time, he did and does feel like a cheater.

It's relatively easy to heap scorn upon all athletes that use substances, but to listen to Hamilton, he didn't really have much of an actual choice. He could either take erythropoietin, inject himself with testosterone and have bags of his blood replaced before and during a race or he would not be able to make a living as a professional cyclist.

Which, yes. The pressures upon players are enormous, but the leagues themselves are to a certain degree complicit. Neither Major League Baseball, the NFL, the NBA or the NHL requires that their employees comply the standards of testing that are set by the US Anti-Doping Agency, let alone the more severe standards of the World Anti-Doping Agency. To date, only baseball tests for Human Growth Hormones, but only after the problem became so rampant that it was impossible to ignore.

It beggars the question, considering the cavalcade of chest-thumping, vitriolic press that baseball has received over the last decade for the Balco and the ongoing Biogenesis scandals, with an entire generation of muscle bound, bacne-ridden sluggers like Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Clemens and Rafael Palmeiro wearing a scarlet PED permanently stitched on the front of their uniforms and suffering a de-facto ban from the Hall of Fame, how fervently the industry (at least in the U.S.) wants to catch transgressors.

As Tygart stated, "Money is being made, home runs are being hit, speeds in the peloton are increasing, and the growth of the sport is happening; they really don't want to have to police themselves in that sense and bring discipline against a star player."

Later, in a different panel at Sloan, the new NBA Commissioner Adam Silver outlined why he believes usage isn't rampant in his particular league:

" We may be just that we're fortunate in the NBA that there is a cultural view that those types of drugs are not helpful for performance...Again, I've been in the NBA for 22 years I've talked to players all the time. I've talked to retired players all the time and I don't hear about it."

While Silver did add that the players' union is receptive to testing for Human Growth Hormone and that it will be a reality in the future, the anecdotal evidence he offered isn't actual proof. As has been shown in the widespread usage by cyclists, PED's don't always creates sculpted, Adonis-like, giant-headed mesomorphs. It can also dramatically increase endurance and reduce recovery time; that's something that would be quite beneficial to say, an individual that often has to play five basketball games in seven nights.

But Tygart is convinced that the USADA is on the right track, and as more and more players insist upon more stringent forms of testing, they'll be able to regulate the industry and create a truly clean game.

The problem is, this steely-eyed stance has been the calling card of every agency that has ever tried to enforce drug prohibition laws. Those who seek to profit off of the sale and use of substances (both recreational and performative) have a massive advantage, both in terms of the financial resources that they can deploy in their cause and the speed at which they can adapt and innovate to stay ahead of the testing process.

After the panel had concluded, Mr. Hamilton said, "The teams, the team doctors, we were always two or three steps ahead of the testing. We knew months ahead when a new test was coming, and we always had a new plan. They give you your cheat sheets. And there's still corruption...Cycling is not 100% clean now. And what happens in cycling, for sure goes on in other sports. My blood-doping doctor, Fuentes, he was involved in other sports and he coached some big name athletes."

One possible way to defuse the financial incentives and advantages to doping is to legalize it. If athletes are aware of the dangers of PED's and are willing to do so anyway, shouldn't that be a risk that they have the right to take?

And considering the damage that playing sports like football, boxing and Mixed Martial Arts (even at the amateur level) does to one's mind and body, how is this any different? Being a pro athlete is by definition a seriously hazardous job.

Don't we applaud a player that pushes the limits (or past the limits) of human endurance? We lionize the Red Sox's Curt Schilling when he pitches in the 2004 World Series with a bloody sock . We applaud New York Knicks captain Willis Reed, taking enough painkillers to fell a thoroughbred just so he could limp around the court on a shredded knee in game seven of the 1970 NBA finals, even if either of these guys (or the countless others) he might be so wracked by arthritis post-career that they can't pick up their own grandkids (or worse, have taken so many shots to the cranium that they can't remember their own grandkids)?

Why has the athlete that has destroyed his cardiovascular system by gulping down fistfuls of steroids committed a moral transgression?

By making the choice to consume this product, fans are already complicit. To scream "Fraud" or "Cheater" when this particular line is crossed feels arbitrary at best and hypocritical at worst (and I say that as a devout fan myself).

Unfortunately, that leaves two equally unwieldy and unpleasant options: Either athletes are forced to undergo an incredibly stringent, rigorous and invasive system of testing-one that could well violate what might be considered acceptable boundaries of individual privacy and civil liberties. Or the barn doors are flung completely open.

Accepting the latter option hat means that the physical marvels and the improbable feats that are seen on the field will not be just a celebration of innate ability-one that has been honed through countless hours of training and an almost unfathomable, borderline fanatical degree of drive and dedication. It will also be something that has been boosted by a chemical cocktail. Granted, that' may already be the case, as unpleasant a thought as that may be to consider.

But again, that decision ultimately is up to those of us who consider ourselves sports fans. The major professional leagues aren't going to insist on far more rigorous standards until there is a direct, fairly vocal demand from their customer base and an economic incentive to do so.

And the irony is that Hamilton and Tygart were presenting these difficult moral questions at Sloan. All of the high-powered team executives and rabid admirers were here not because of a pure sense of intellectual curiosity, but because they were all seeking a competitive advantage.

Those who do use PED's are doing the same thing. They're looking for a leg up, or partaking of the newest and best innovations in their chosen field. If society decides that that avenue is too dangerous to take, that's all well and good.

The first step is having an honest, transparent conversation about what is actually occurring, namely that use of these substances is probably fairly rampant, and that those who do so aren't bad people per se. Hamilton is the embodiment of that. He wrote his autobiography, The Secret Race, and continues to talk openly about the widespread use doping because the incentives, the pressure, and the larger culture that led him to stick a needle into his arm are rarely a part of the national discussion and he wanted to tell the truth.

And if Hamilton's going to be that brutally honest, then owners and fans are going to have to be just as honest with themselves about their participation in a drug-filled, win-at-all-costs sporting world.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Maybe We Should Just Legalize Steroids for Pro Athletes

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Travis T. Tygart, the Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency was seated in a plush chair on the raised stage, his fingers intertwined. To his left was Tyler Hamilton, a retired pro cyclist and former member of Lance Armstrong's U.S. Postal Tour de France team, slumped forward, his head slightly bowed.

# data[].attributes.body
The Risks of Taking Steroids

Steroids when taken by athletes are usually taken at much higher doses than what is supplied for medical reasons.  Steroids can cause many problems for men and women, but they can also cause, organ abnormalities, ligaments and tendons to tear easier, heart problems, increased cholesterol, Psychiatric disorders, drug dependence, and many other problems.

+ Stated a lot of facts as well as presented logos to show how steroids can cause severe problems in athletes

- A well written article with no negatives

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Performance-enhancing drugs: Know the risks

Are you hoping to gain a competitive edge by taking muscle-building supplements or other performance-enhancing drugs? Learn how these drugs work and how they can affect your health.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
Most serious athletes will tell you that the competitive drive to win can be fierce. Besides the satisfaction of personal accomplishment, athletes often pursue dreams of winning a medal for their country or securing a spot on a professional team. In such an environment, the use of performance-enhancing drugs has become increasingly common.

But using performance-enhancing drugs - aka, doping - isn't without risks. Take the time to learn about the potential benefits, the health risks and the many unknowns regarding so-called performance-enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids, androstenedione, human growth hormone, erythropoietin, diuretics, creatine and stimulants. You may decide that the benefits aren't worth the risks.

Anabolic steroids

What are they?

Some athletes take a form of steroids - known as anabolic-androgen steroids or just anabolic steroids - to increase their muscle mass and strength. The main anabolic steroid hormone produced by your body is testosterone.

Testosterone has two main effects on your body:

Anabolic effects promote muscle building.

Androgenic effects are responsible for male traits, such as facial hair and a deeper voice.

Some athletes take straight testosterone to boost their performance. Frequently, the anabolic steroids that athletes use are synthetic modifications of testosterone.

These hormones have approved medical uses, though improving athletic performance is not one of them. They can be taken as pills, injections or topical treatments.

Why are these drugs so appealing to athletes? Besides making muscles bigger, anabolic steroids may help athletes recover from a hard workout more quickly by reducing the muscle damage that occurs during the session. This enables athletes to work out harder and more frequently without overtraining. In addition, some athletes may like the aggressive feelings they get when they take the drugs.

Designer steroids

A particularly dangerous class of anabolic steroids are the so-called designer drugs - synthetic steroids that have been illicitly created to be undetectable by current drug tests. They are made specifically for athletes and have no approved medical use. Because of this, they haven't been tested or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and represent a particular health threat to athletes.

Risks

Many athletes take anabolic steroids at doses that are much higher than those prescribed for medical reasons, and most of what is known about the drugs' effects on athletes comes from observing users.

It is impossible for researchers to design studies that would accurately test the effects of large doses of steroids on athletes, because giving participants such high doses would be unethical. This means that the effects of taking anabolic steroids at very high doses haven't been well-studied.

Anabolic steroids come with serious physical side effects as well. Men may develop:

Prominent breasts

Baldness

Shrunken testicles

Infertility

Impotence

Prostate gland enlargement

Women may develop:

A deeper voice

An enlarged clitoris

Increased body hair

Baldness

Infrequent or absent periods

Both men and women might experience:

Severe acne

Increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture

Liver abnormalities and tumors

Increased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol)

Decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol)

High blood pressure (hypertension)

Heart and circulatory problems

Aggressive behaviors, rage or violence

Psychiatric disorders, such as depression

Drug dependence

Infections or diseases such as HIV or hepatitis if you're injecting the drugs

Inhibited growth and development, and risk of future health problems in teenagers

Taking anabolic-androgenic steroids to enhance athletic performance, besides being prohibited by most sports organizations, is illegal. In the past 20 years, more effective law enforcement in the United States has pushed much of the illegal steroid industry into the black market.

This poses additional health risks because the drugs are either made in other countries and smuggled in or made in clandestine labs in the United States. Either way, they aren't subject to government safety standards and could be impure or mislabeled.

Androstenedione

What is it?

Androstenedione (andro) is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, ovaries and testes. It's a hormone that's normally converted to testosterone and estradiol in both men and women. Andro is available legally only in prescription form and is a controlled substance.

Manufacturers and bodybuilding magazines tout its ability to allow athletes to train harder and recover more quickly. However, its use as a performance-enhancing drug is illegal in the United States.

Scientific studies that refute these claims show that supplemental androstenedione doesn't increase testosterone and that your muscles don't get stronger with andro use.

Risks

Side effects of andro in men include:

Acne

Diminished sperm production

Shrinking of the testicles

Enlargement of the breasts

In women, side effects include:

Acne

Masculinization, such as deepening of the voice and male-pattern baldness

In both men and women, andro can decrease HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol), which puts you at greater risk of heart attack and stroke.

Human growth hormone

What is it?

Human growth hormone, also known as gonadotropin, is a hormone that has an anabolic effect. Athletes take it to improve muscle mass and performance. However, it hasn't been shown conclusively to improve either strength or endurance. It is available only by prescription and is administered by injection.

Risks

Adverse effects related to human growth hormone range in severity and may include:

Joint pain

Muscle weakness

Fluid retention

Vision problems

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Impaired glucose regulation

Enlarged heart (cardiomegaly)

High cholesterol (hyperlipidemia)

Diabetes

High blood pressure (hypertension)

Erythropoietin

What is it?

Erythropoietin is a type of hormone used to treat anemia in people with severe kidney disease. It increases production of red blood cells and hemoglobin, resulting in improved movement of oxygen to the muscles. Epoetin, a synthetic form of erythropoietin, is commonly used by endurance athletes.

Risks

Erythropoietin use among competitive cyclists was common in the 1990s and allegedly contributed to at least 18 deaths. Inappropriate use of erythropoietin may increase the risk of thrombotic events, such as stroke, heart attack and pulmonary embolism.

Diuretics

What are they?

Diuretics are drugs that change your body's natural balance of fluids and salts (electrolytes) and can lead to dehydration. This loss of water can decrease an athlete's weight, helping him or her to compete in a lighter weight class, which many athletes prefer. Diuretics may also help athletes pass drug tests by diluting their urine and are sometimes referred to as a "masking" agent.

Risks

Diuretics taken at any dose, even medically recommended doses, predispose athletes to adverse effects such as:

Dehydration

Muscle cramps

Dizziness

Potassium deficiency

Rash

Gout

Drop in blood pressure

Loss of coordination and balance

Death

Creatine

What is it?

Many athletes take nutritional supplements instead of or in addition to performance-enhancing drugs. Supplements are available over-the-counter as powders or pills. The most popular supplement among athletes is probably creatine monohydrate.

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound produced by your body that helps your muscles release energy. Scientific research indicates that creatine may have some athletic benefit by producing small gains in short-term bursts of power.

Creatine appears to help muscles make more adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which stores and transports energy in cells, and is used for quick bursts of activity, such as weightlifting or sprinting. There's no evidence, however, that creatine enhances performance in aerobic or endurance sports.

Your liver produces about 0.07 ounces (2 grams) of creatine each day. You also get creatine from the meat in your diet.

Creatine is stored in your muscles, and levels are relatively easily maintained. Because your kidneys remove excess creatine, the value of supplements to someone who already has adequate muscle creatine content is questionable.

Risks

Supplements are considered food and not drugs by the FDA. This means supplement manufacturers are not required to conform to the same standards as drug manufacturers do. In some cases, supplements have been found to be contaminated with other substances, which may inadvertently lead to a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs.

Possible side effects of creatine that can decrease athletic performance include:

Weight gain is sought after by athletes who want to increase their size. But with prolonged creatine use, weight gain is more likely the result of water retention than an increase in muscle mass. Water is drawn into your muscle tissue, away from other parts of your body. This puts you at risk of dehydration.

High-dose creatine use may potentially damage your:

It appears safe for adults to use creatine at the doses recommended by manufacturers. But there are no studies investigating the long-term benefits and risks of creatine supplementation.

Stimulants

What are they?

Some athletes use stimulants to stimulate the central nervous system and increase heart rate and blood pressure.

Stimulants can:

Improve endurance

Reduce fatigue

Suppress appetite

Increase alertness and aggressiveness

Common stimulants include caffeine and amphetamines. Cold remedies often contain the stimulants ephedrine or pseudoephedrine hydrochloride.

Energy drinks, which are popular among many athletes, often contain high doses of caffeine and other stimulants. The street drugs cocaine and methamphetamine also are stimulants.

Risks

Although stimulants can boost physical performance and promote aggressiveness on the field, they have side effects that can impair athletic performance.

Nervousness and irritability, which make it hard to concentrate on the game

Insomnia, which can prevent an athlete from getting needed sleep

Dehydration

Heatstroke

Addiction or tolerance, meaning that athletes need greater amounts to achieve the desired effect, so they'll take doses that are much higher than the intended medical dose

Other side effects include:

Heart palpitations

Heart rhythm abnormalities

Weight loss

Tremors

Mild high blood pressure (hypertension)

Hallucinations

Stroke

Heart attack and other circulatory problems

The bottom line

Do performance-enhancing drugs boost performance? Some athletes may appear to achieve physical gains from such drugs, but at what cost?

The long-term effects of performance-enhancing drugs haven't been rigorously studied. And short-term benefits are tempered by many risks. Not to mention that doping is prohibited by most sports organizations. No matter how you look at it, using performance-enhancing drugs is risky business.

See more In-depth

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Doping: Do you know the facts about performance-enhancing drugs?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Are you hoping to gain a competitive edge by taking muscle-building supplements or other performance-enhancing drugs? Learn how these drugs work and how they can affect your health. By Mayo Clinic Staff Most serious athletes will tell you that the competitive drive to win can be fierce.

# data[].attributes.body
Steroids have no place in sports.  Firstly, doping threatens the health of athletes. Under constant medical care, it may be safe for some athletes, but only a small amount. The use of steroids can have serious health repercussions, including affected liver and kidneys, heart conditions, and psychiatrics symptoms.  Second, it takes the fun away from casual sports players. It threatens the fun and integrity of the game.

+Clearly written, opinion based. Also stated facts about how steroids affect the body.

-Biased

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ask anyone with a decent knowledge of sports and current events, and they will tell you: doping in sport is a problem. Nearly every week, another high-profile doping story makes its way to the headlines of newspapers around the world. A quick Google News search for "doping" revealed over 7,500 results from the past week alone. The stories ranged from the lesser known 2 Youth Olympic Games Wrestlers who were recently suspended to the more famous 2010 Tour de France winner Alberto Contador's positive test.

Earlier this month, Brent Musburger (an ABC/ESPN sports commentator) told a group of students at University of Montana that steroids work. Musburger blamed "journalism youngsters" who "got too deeply involved in something they didn't know too much about" for the negative image steroids and doping now have. He went on to say that steroids had no place in high school, but "under the proper care and doctor's advice, they could be used at the professional level." (Quotes take from the Missoulian article.)

If you know me (or have been in a class with me), you know how I feel about doping in sports. In fact, anti-doping was one of the reasons I came to law school, and more specifically to Marquette. My view is that doping has no place in sport. The story of how I came to become so staunchly against doping is for another day (and perhaps a different venue), but basically involves my love for the sport of cycling and the systematic doping that plagues that sport. Suffice it to say that I take a firm stance against doping in all sports in all forms.

It probably goes without saying that I could not disagree with Musburger more. Doping, least of all in the form of anabolic steroids, has no place in sports - amateur or professional. I think all anti-doping arguments come down to two basic principles, only one of which Musburger addresses in his blanket approval of steroid use in professional athletes.

First, doping threatens the health of athletes. Musburger argues that with proper medical supervision, steroids can be healthy. While this might be true in some (and I would suggest limited) cases, it would certainly not be true in all cases. The use of steroids can have serious health repercussions, including affected liver, endocrine, and reproductive function, tumors of the liver and kidneys, heart conditions, and psychiatric symptoms. Additionally, the article just linked goes on to mention the increased probability of side effects when 1) steroids are used more than the recommended dose, 2) steroids are used in conjunction with other performance enhancing substances, and 3) counterfeit or tainted steroids are used.

Legalizing steroid use would not solve these problems. The side effects listed in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (a part of the National Institute of Health) article are not restricted to improper use of steroids. I will not detail out the side effects of not only steroids, but also the use of hGH and EPO (often used in cycling), the NCBI does a nice job of listing those and providing citations to studies. Furthermore, the drive to win will always encourage athletes to take "just one more." Sure, proper medical supervision would ensure that an athlete receives the proper dose from that doctor, but when that athlete fails to win the next race, game, or match, he or she is more likely to increase the dose or combine other methods of doping.

Second, and unaddressed by Musburger, doping affects the integrity of sport. Sport is not about simply winning. The saying "It's not about whether you win or lose, it's how you played the game," although cliché, is absolutely correct. The Olympic Movement identifies the Olympic spirit - mutual understanding, spirit of friendship, solidarity, and fair play - as fundamental to sport. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was founded on the principle that integrity of sport is fundamental to the spirit of sport, and that integrity is threatened by doping. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) division on anti-doping believes that "doping jeopardizes the moral and ethical basis of sport and the health of those involved in it." The National Football League itself created its own steroid policy because steroid use threatens "the fairness and integrity of athletic competition" and "sends the wrong message to young people who may be tempted to use them." Sports are about competition on equal footing, with respect for the opponent, and with respect for the rules of the game.

Permitting the use of steroids under proper medical supervision would threaten the fairness and integrity of the game. First, athletes who choose not to use steroids are at an unfair advantage - most will be unable to compete at the same level as athletes who are using steroids. Second, the integrity of the game is compromised because it is no longer about which athlete has the best skills or talent, it's instead about which athlete has the best steroid cocktail or the money to buy the best steroids. Thus, steroid use is contrary to the spirit of sport - fairness, respect, and solidarity. The concept of mutual respect between competitors is thwarted when one (or both) athletes would rather use steroids to improve his or her performance than compete based on individual strength, skill, or talent.

However, if health and integrity concerns aren't enough to convince you, consider this final point. Law students, and indeed lawyers, are fond of the slippery slope argument. I think it finds a comfortable place in this debate. It's a slippery slope between allowing steroid use with proper medical supervision and eliminating anti-doping regulations. Where is the line to be drawn? Will it now be illegal to use steroids only if taken without proper medical supervision? How can proper medical supervision be proven? How does an athlete prove that the steroids in his or her body were as a result of proper medical supervision and not other means? What about athletes who use more than the recommended dose? What about other forms of doping (hGh or EPO)? Are those next to be permitted under proper medical supervision? It's difficult to see how regulating the use of steroids in sport is workable.

The only way to preserve integrity in sport and protect the health of athletes is through a serious anti-doping approach. Anti-doping efforts are most successful when the "law" (anti-doping policy) sets forth clear, bright-line rules about when and what substances are prohibited. Although a long way from perfect, WADA has created the most comprehensive anti-doping program in the world (indeed the only anti-doping program most of the world outside of the US models and implements). American professional sports leagues should be looking at ways to model the WADA code in its own anti-doping policies (like the United States Anti-Doping Agency is doing), not seeking ways to excuse steroid use or compromise anti-doping efforts. Steroids have no place in sports.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ask anyone with a decent knowledge of sports and current events, and they will tell you: doping in sport is a problem. Nearly every week, another high-profile doping story makes its way to the headlines of newspapers around the world. A quick Google News search for "doping" revealed over 7,500 results from the past week alone.

# data[].attributes.body
This article describes how athletes who compete with steroid users are at a disadvantage and this is unfair in professional sports where everyone competes to be the best. Athletes also get paid a lot of money because they tried their hardest to get in the big leagues and this is unfair.  The article is mainly biased about steroids.

-Athletes can't show their best skills and talent they've worked for years.

-Athletes are at a disadvantage and can not compete against people who use steroids who are stronger and faster.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ask anyone with a decent knowledge of sports and current events, and they will tell you: doping in sport is a problem. Nearly every week, another high-profile doping story makes its way to the headlines of newspapers around the world. A quick Google News search for "doping" revealed over 7,500 results from the past week alone. The stories ranged from the lesser known 2 Youth Olympic Games Wrestlers who were recently suspended to the more famous 2010 Tour de France winner Alberto Contador's positive test.

Earlier this month, Brent Musburger (an ABC/ESPN sports commentator) told a group of students at University of Montana that steroids work. Musburger blamed "journalism youngsters" who "got too deeply involved in something they didn't know too much about" for the negative image steroids and doping now have. He went on to say that steroids had no place in high school, but "under the proper care and doctor's advice, they could be used at the professional level." (Quotes take from the Missoulian article.)

If you know me (or have been in a class with me), you know how I feel about doping in sports. In fact, anti-doping was one of the reasons I came to law school, and more specifically to Marquette. My view is that doping has no place in sport. The story of how I came to become so staunchly against doping is for another day (and perhaps a different venue), but basically involves my love for the sport of cycling and the systematic doping that plagues that sport. Suffice it to say that I take a firm stance against doping in all sports in all forms.

It probably goes without saying that I could not disagree with Musburger more. Doping, least of all in the form of anabolic steroids, has no place in sports - amateur or professional. I think all anti-doping arguments come down to two basic principles, only one of which Musburger addresses in his blanket approval of steroid use in professional athletes.

First, doping threatens the health of athletes. Musburger argues that with proper medical supervision, steroids can be healthy. While this might be true in some (and I would suggest limited) cases, it would certainly not be true in all cases. The use of steroids can have serious health repercussions, including affected liver, endocrine, and reproductive function, tumors of the liver and kidneys, heart conditions, and psychiatric symptoms. Additionally, the article just linked goes on to mention the increased probability of side effects when 1) steroids are used more than the recommended dose, 2) steroids are used in conjunction with other performance enhancing substances, and 3) counterfeit or tainted steroids are used.

Legalizing steroid use would not solve these problems. The side effects listed in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (a part of the National Institute of Health) article are not restricted to improper use of steroids. I will not detail out the side effects of not only steroids, but also the use of hGH and EPO (often used in cycling), the NCBI does a nice job of listing those and providing citations to studies. Furthermore, the drive to win will always encourage athletes to take "just one more." Sure, proper medical supervision would ensure that an athlete receives the proper dose from that doctor, but when that athlete fails to win the next race, game, or match, he or she is more likely to increase the dose or combine other methods of doping.

Second, and unaddressed by Musburger, doping affects the integrity of sport. Sport is not about simply winning. The saying "It's not about whether you win or lose, it's how you played the game," although cliché, is absolutely correct. The Olympic Movement identifies the Olympic spirit - mutual understanding, spirit of friendship, solidarity, and fair play - as fundamental to sport. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was founded on the principle that integrity of sport is fundamental to the spirit of sport, and that integrity is threatened by doping. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) division on anti-doping believes that "doping jeopardizes the moral and ethical basis of sport and the health of those involved in it." The National Football League itself created its own steroid policy because steroid use threatens "the fairness and integrity of athletic competition" and "sends the wrong message to young people who may be tempted to use them." Sports are about competition on equal footing, with respect for the opponent, and with respect for the rules of the game.

Permitting the use of steroids under proper medical supervision would threaten the fairness and integrity of the game. First, athletes who choose not to use steroids are at an unfair advantage - most will be unable to compete at the same level as athletes who are using steroids. Second, the integrity of the game is compromised because it is no longer about which athlete has the best skills or talent, it's instead about which athlete has the best steroid cocktail or the money to buy the best steroids. Thus, steroid use is contrary to the spirit of sport - fairness, respect, and solidarity. The concept of mutual respect between competitors is thwarted when one (or both) athletes would rather use steroids to improve his or her performance than compete based on individual strength, skill, or talent.

However, if health and integrity concerns aren't enough to convince you, consider this final point. Law students, and indeed lawyers, are fond of the slippery slope argument. I think it finds a comfortable place in this debate. It's a slippery slope between allowing steroid use with proper medical supervision and eliminating anti-doping regulations. Where is the line to be drawn? Will it now be illegal to use steroids only if taken without proper medical supervision? How can proper medical supervision be proven? How does an athlete prove that the steroids in his or her body were as a result of proper medical supervision and not other means? What about athletes who use more than the recommended dose? What about other forms of doping (hGh or EPO)? Are those next to be permitted under proper medical supervision? It's difficult to see how regulating the use of steroids in sport is workable.

The only way to preserve integrity in sport and protect the health of athletes is through a serious anti-doping approach. Anti-doping efforts are most successful when the "law" (anti-doping policy) sets forth clear, bright-line rules about when and what substances are prohibited. Although a long way from perfect, WADA has created the most comprehensive anti-doping program in the world (indeed the only anti-doping program most of the world outside of the US models and implements). American professional sports leagues should be looking at ways to model the WADA code in its own anti-doping policies (like the United States Anti-Doping Agency is doing), not seeking ways to excuse steroid use or compromise anti-doping efforts. Steroids have no place in sports.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ask anyone with a decent knowledge of sports and current events, and they will tell you: doping in sport is a problem. Nearly every week, another high-profile doping story makes its way to the headlines of newspapers around the world. A quick Google News search for "doping" revealed over 7,500 results from the past week alone.

# data[].attributes.headline
ʎǝןןɐɯ,o uıʇsnɐ

# data[].attributes.subject
ʎǝןןɐɯ,o uıʇsnɐ

# data[].attributes.body
This article describes the side-effects of the use of steroids.

+Very good information

+Appears to use logos most

-I couldn't find any resources for their information

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What Are They?

Ever wondered how those bulky weight lifters got so big? While some may have gotten their muscles through a strict regimen of weight-lifting and diet, others may have gotten that way through the illegal use of steroids.

Steroids are synthetic substances similar to the male sex hormone testosterone. They do have legitimate medical uses. Sometimes doctors prescribe anabolic steroids to help people with certain kinds of anemia and men who don't produce enough testosterone on their own. Doctors also prescribe a different kind of steroid, called corticosteroids, to reduce swelling. Corticosteroids are not anabolic steroids and do not have the same harmful effects.

But doctors never prescribe anabolic steroids to young, healthy people to help them build muscles. Without a prescription from a doctor, steroids are illegal.

There are many different kinds of steroids. Here's a list of some of the most common anabolic steroids taken today: anadrol, oxandrin, dianabol, winstrol, deca-durabolin, and equipoise.

What Are the Common Street Names?

Slang words for steroids are hard to find. Most people just say steroids. On the street, steroids may be called roids or juice. The scientific name for this class of drugs is anabolic-androgenic steroids. Anabolic refers to muscle-building. Androgenic refers to increased male characteristics. But even scientists shorten it to anabolic steroids.

How Are They Used?

Some steroid users pop pills. Others use hypodermic needles to inject steroids directly into muscles. When users take more and more of a drug over and over again, they are called "abusers." Abusers have been known to take doses 10 to 100 times higher than the amount prescribed for medical reasons by a doctor.

Many steroid users take two or more kinds of steroids at once. Called stacking, this way of taking steroids is supposed to get users bigger faster. Some abusers pyramid their doses in 6-12-week cycles. At the beginning of the cycle, the steroid user starts with low doses and slowly increases to higher doses. In the second half of the cycle, they gradually decrease the amount of steroids. Neither of these methods has been proven to work.

Continued

How Many Teens Use Them?

Most teens are smart and stay away from steroids. As part of a 2002 NIDA-funded study, teens were asked if they ever tried steroids-even once. Only 2.5% of 8th graders ever tried steroids; only 3.5% of 10th graders; and 4% of 12th graders.

What Are the Common Effects?

Steroids can make pimples pop up and hair fall out. They can make guys grow breasts and girls grow beards. Steroids can cause livers to grow tumors and hearts to clog up. They can even send users on violent, angry rampages. In other words, steroids throw a body way out of whack. Steroids do make users bulk up, but the health risks are high. It's true, on steroids biceps bulge; abs ripple; and quads balloon. But that's just on the outside. Steroid users may be very pleased when they flex in the mirror, but they may create problems on the inside. These problems may hurt them the rest of their lives. As a matter of fact steroid use can shorten their lives.

Steroids Cause Hormone Imbalances

For teens, hormone balance is important. Hormones are involved in the development of a girl's feminine traits and a boy's masculine traits. When someone abuses steroids, gender mix-ups happen.

Using steroids, guys can experience shrunken testicles and reduced sperm count. They can also end up with breasts, a condition called gynecomastia.

Using steroids, girls can become more masculine. Their voices deepen. They grow excessive body hair. Their breast size decreases.

Teens at Risk for Stunted Growth

Teens who abuse steroids before the typical adolescent growth spurt risk staying short and never reaching their full adult height. Why? Because the body is programmed to stop growing after puberty. When hormone levels reach a certain point, the body thinks it's already gone through puberty. So, bones get the message to stop growing way too soon.

Steroid Abuse Can Be Fatal

When steroids get into the body, they go to different organs and muscles. Steroids affect individual cells and make them create proteins. These proteins spell trouble.

The liver, for example, can grow tumors and develop cancer. Steroid abusers may also develop a rare condition called peliosis hepatis in which blood-filled cysts crop up on the liver. Both the tumors and cysts can rupture and cause internal bleeding.

Continued

Steroids are no friend of the heart, either. Abusing steroids can cause heart attacks and strokes, even in young athletes. Here's how: Steroid use can lead to a condition called atherosclerosis, which causes fat deposits inside arteries to disrupt blood flow. When blood flow to the heart is blocked, a heart attack can occur. If blood flow to the brain is blocked, a stroke can result.

To bulk up the artificial way-using steroids-puts teens at risk for more than liver disease and cardiovascular disease. Steroids can weaken the immune system, which is what helps the body fight against germs and disease. That means that illnesses and diseases have an easy target in a steroid abuser.

By injecting steroids by needle, teens can add HIV and hepatitis B and C to their list of health hazards. Many abusers share non-sterile "works" or drug injection equipment that can spread life-threatening viral infections.

Steroids Can Cause Extreme Mood Changes

Steroids can also mess with your head. Homicidal rage can come from how steroids act on the brain. That's right. Non-violent people have been known to commit murder under the influence of these synthetic hormones.

Your moods and emotions are balanced by the limbic system of your brain. Steroids act on the limbic system and may cause irritability and mild depression. Eventually, steroids can cause mania, delusions, and violent aggression or "roid rage."

Steroids' Disfiguring Effects

Last, but not least, steroids have disfiguring effects-severe acne, greasy hair, and baldness (in both guys and girls).

The bottom line is: Science proves the serious risks of steroid use.

WebMD Public Information from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

Sources

SOURCE: National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: "Anabolic Steroids." http://teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/facts_ster1.asp

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ever wondered how those bulky weight lifters got so big? While some may have gotten their muscles through a strict regimen of weight-lifting and diet, others may have gotten that way through the illegal use of steroids. Steroids are synthetic substances similar to the male sex hormone testosterone.

# data[].attributes.body
Why steroids should not be legal for professional sports.

In professional sports, there is a very competitive field to be the best. Millions of athletes grind out countless hours in the gym in hopes of being the best.

Steroid use can help athletes become much stronger and much faster than athletes who don't use steroids. If steroids were to be legalize in sports, all athletes would

be forced to use steroids, but why is this a bad thing? It's a bad thing because steroid use has many negative, permanent effects on the human body. These negative effects

would follow the athlete well after his athlete years, and effect him for the rest of his life. Its just not worth it.

+Specific examples and the writers own opinion.

-Didn't give any argument from the other side of the argument.

http://www.npr.org/2008/01/23/18299098/should-we-accept-steroid-use-in-sports

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The debate over athletes' use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs has taken on newfound urgency in recent months.

A report by former Sen. George Mitchell, released in December, mentioned dozens of baseball players as having used steroids and described their use as "widespread." Track star Marion Jones pleaded guilty to lying to investigators about steroid use in October. And last summer, several riders were dismissed from the Tour de France on charges of using banned substances.

Those who oppose the use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs say that the athletes who use them are breaking the rules and getting an unfair advantage over others. Opponents of the drugs say the athletes are endangering not only their own health, but also indirectly encouraging youngsters to do the same.

Others maintain that it is hypocritical for society to encourage consumers to seek drugs to treat all sorts of ailments and conditions but to disdain drug use for sports. They say the risk to athletes has been overstated and that the effort to keep them from using performance-enhancing drugs is bound to fail.

Six experts on steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs recently took on the issue in an Oxford-style debate, part of the series Intelligence Squared U.S. The debates are modeled on a program begun in London in 2002: Three experts argue in favor of a proposition and three argue against.

In the latest debate, held on Jan. 15, the formal proposition was, "We should accept performance-enhancing drugs in competitive sports."

As the debate began, it was announced that former Olympics sprinter Ben Johnson, who was scheduled to argue in favor of allowing drugs, had pulled out on the advice of his lawyer because of his involvement in a lawsuit. Johnson was stripped of his gold medal in the 1988 Olympics after testing positive for steroids.

In a vote before the debate, 18 percent of audience members supported the motion to accept performance-enhancing drugs in competitive sports, and 63 percent opposed it. Nineteen percent were undecided. After the debate, 37 percent of audience members agreed with the proposition. Fifty-nine percent opposed it, and 4 percent remained undecided.

The event was held at the Asia Society and Museum in New York City and moderated by longtime sportscaster Bob Costas, who hosts NBCs Football Night in America and HBOs Inside the NFL.

Highlights from the debate:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A panel of experts debates whether performance-enhancing drugs should be allowed in competitive sports. One group says efforts to ban drugs from sports is bound to fail. Another group contends drugs harm athletes and encourages abuse. It's the latest in the series Intelligence Squared U.S.

# data[].attributes.body
Steroids have many side effects on the body and can cause cancer. Alex Rodriguez admitted to use Performance enhancing drugs.

- Steroids can make a person more aggressive and violent

+These drugs are also used for supporting reproduction, regulation of the metabolism, treating inflammation, and immune functions.

+ Article states positives and negatives of steroid use.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The term steroids normally are associated with reference to a class of drugs that are used to treat a variety of medical conditions. Steroids have several uses for medical purposes, such as maintaining sexual characteristics in males following surgery for removal of testes following testicular cancer, in adolescent males suffering with malfunction of the pituitary gland, and following surgery and cancer that involves loss of muscle tissue. These drugs are also used for supporting reproduction, regulation of the metabolism and immune functions. Also used for increasing muscle mass, bone mass, inflammation and other medical conditions.

Anabolic Steroids (AAS)

"Anabolic means use of something that causes a building up of tissue. The term anabolism refers more generally to an increase in lean tissue in particular muscle tissue".

Anabolic steroids or more precisely anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are a class of synthetic drugs that are designed to mimic the effects of the hormone testosterone. Testosterone is derived in the body from cholesterol, and like other steroid hormones, testosterone has its main effect on tissues. Testosterone enters a body cell and attaches to a receptor which crosses into the cell nucleus where it activates the synthesis of protein. Protein synthesis leads to tissue repair and growth. If we are able to increase protein synthesis it would lead to quicker regeneration of the body, and to give faster recovery from illness and injuries.

A steroid used in the treatment of medical conditions usually involves the use of only one type of steroid and medical patients are closely monitored and the doses used are approximately that which would be produced naturally by the human body. In the case of steroid use in sports, people tend to take mega dosages sometimes 10-100 times the dosage that would be administered for some medical conditions and often involving more than one type at a time. Most steroid users, and especially novice users, get their dosage instructions from the seller or from friends who take the drugs, more often without any questions as to the drugs effects, or correct dosages. Many steroids available on the black market are even of dubious quality and often only contain small amounts of the drug. Some of these drugs have even been reported to contain only water and a dye, or contain only normal peanut oil.

Side Effects of Steroids Use

The side effects that steroids have on the body are many and can cause some serious side effects including cancers, but many sports users chose to ignore any information on side effects, even to the point of using the excuse of "its only the drugs abuse that causes side effects" but any drug that alters the homeostasis of the body will have an effect.

Looking at the body in more detail we can look at how steroids can affect each different part of the body:

Brain:

Studies have shown a pattern between high testosterone levels and aggressive behaviour, which is often seen as the users involved in violent acts. Often steroids have been used as an excuse for a person's aggressive behaviour. High dose users have also been affected with psychotic syndromes and a high level of anxiety. Other effects that appear are, sleep disturbances, feelings of euphoria, high levels of paranoia, various stages of depression, with some users suffering extreme mood swings, and also changes in their personality. A large number of users become dependant on steroid use which then can lead to addiction.

Face:

Steroid use results in high levels of water retention (oedema) leading to the user becoming "round faced" with puffy cheeks. In females reports have shown the effect of a growth of facial hair quite common, bad breath is quite a common effect as is the voice of females becoming husky by a deepening of the voice. Steroids also commonly affect the skin of the face and body by causing acne.

Eyes:

Long term use of steroids can actually damage the eyes, resulting in eye infections, cataracts or glaucoma.

Hair:

Male pattern baldness is common in both females and males due to the conversion of high levels of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone or DHT, causing the hair follicles to shrink, which only then produces very fine hair. Eventually with continued steroid use the hair follicle dies leading to permanent baldness.

Heart:

This section the steroid user should be most concerned about, but normally choose to ignore until a serious cardiovascular event happens. Steroid use causes heart disease and becomes evident due to high increases in total cholesterol levels, causing a build up of cholesterol on the walls of the blood vessels which can also lead to strokes. Also shown is a decrease in the levels of the good cholesterol (HDL) and increase in the bad cholesterol (LDL). Blood pressure is known to increase and blood clots in blood vessels disrupting the blood flow causing damage to the heart muscle leading to heart attacks.

Stomach:

Normal signs of problems to the stomach from steroid use include feelings of being bloated, a feeling of being nauseous leading to bouts of vomiting with blood sometimes being evident in the vomit caused by irritation to the stomach lining and increased stomach acids with a lower level of stomach mucus.

Kidneys:

The kidneys are important for the elimination of waste material from the blood and the regulation of salt and water levels. Another important function of the kidneys is the regulation of blood pressure; high blood pressure damages the blood vessels and filtering system of the kidneys. The occurrence of kidney problems occurs mostly with the use of oral steroids with a suppression of blood clotting factors leading to increased blood clotting time following cuts or injury. The kidneys have to work harder with oral steroid use due to increase requirements to filter the blood. Steroid users also normally resort to ultra high protein intake, sometime far in excess of normal intake involved with weight training which can lead to kidney stones. Kidney stones can block the opening of the urinary tract leading to problems with urinary excretion. High blood pressure can also cause problems to the kidneys by damaging the blood vessels by causing thickening and narrowed blood vessels leading to a reduced blood supply and filtration.

Liver:

The liver, the largest organ of the body is used to filter harmful toxins from the blood and for storage of certain nutrients like vitamins/minerals. It is also important for the managing levels of chemicals such as proteins, cholesterol and sugars. The liver is also used for the production of bile to aid in the digestion of food. Steroid use has been shown to cause irreversible liver damage and cancers. Oral steroids are difficult for the liver to metabolise leading to a decrease in the ability of the liver to clear waste products. Some counterfeit steroids have been known to carry all kinds of bacteria and virus leading to adverse liver function. Hepatocellular jaundice which is evident by a yellowing of the skin and eyes, can be caused by an abnormal liver function as the liver cannot effectively filter the blood.

Chest:

Breast development (Gynocomastia) from steroid use is a very common and an often seen side effect of long term steroid cycles or high dose steroid use, causes a formation of breast tissue which begins as visible lumps under the nipples that normally requires surgical intervention. The breasts of female steroid users can actually shrink in size.

This image shows Gynocomastia developing in a male:

Bones:

Use of steroids by teenagers and males in their early twenties who have not yet ceased growing can impair bone growth leading to being shorter in height in adulthood due to premature closure of epiphyseal growth plates. Bone pain can also be a side effect of steroid use.

Muscle and Tendons:

The use of steroids can make a person feel stronger than they actually are, resulting in trying to lift heavier weights than their body is actually capable of, which can lead to muscle tears. The muscle can get stronger more rapidly than the strength of the tendons then a greater possibility of tendon rupture is likely to occur.

Skin:

Steroid use can have an effect on the user's skin by affecting the skin pores and causing roughness in the skin texture. Other skin conditions that are often seen are red blotchy, greasy skin with acne on the face and back. Stretch marks can also appear due to rapid growth of muscle or a thinning of the skin. As mentioned above steroids affect the liver and a side effect is jaundice, this becomes evident by a yellowing of the skin and eyes.

Impaired immune system:

An impaired immune function can occur with steroid use with problems occurring after cessation and effects becoming more visible.

Oedema:

This means the appearance of being bloated and is caused by an accumulation of fluid which is mostly seen as swollen ankles and fingers.

Prostrate gland:

The prostrate gland is specific to males and located just below the bladder, its main functions are the production of prostatic fluid, a component of seminal fluid and are also for maintaining sperm activity. Steroids are known to cause an enlargement of the prostrate gland, and as the prostrate gland encircles the urethra any swelling of the prostrate can cause interference in the urine flow. Males should be made aware that any changes in the prostrate gland can also affect sexual activity. Other effects that can happen are abnormal sperm and a decreased sperm count.

Blood Poisoning:

Many steroid users are often frightened to go to a needle exchange to obtain a supply of sterile needles in case they are labelled addicts, often resulting in the use of, or sharing of non sterile needles, which can cause blood poisoning with a higher risk of infection and infectious diseases. The user's injection site can also become swollen and tender and can lead to abscesses which can then lead to the requirement of painful medical intervention.

Impotence:

Taking steroids will cause the testes to decrease its normal function. When stopping the testosterone supplementation it takes a while for the pituitary gland to signal the testes to once again begin manufacturing testosterone. In long term or high dose testosterone use the testes can actually cease production or can actually atrophy which can lead to a long delay in the testes beginning manufacturing testosterone naturally. Impotence occurs after the steroids cessation, and long term drug use causes lack of erections.

Quick Reference Image

Females and Steroid Use

An advert for the Skins product!

Many more females are now using anabolic steroids to improve performance, increase muscle size and or increase strength for performance, but as with males there are side effects to the female body, Many of the side effects are identical to those of males, but other side effects can be the growth of facial hair, male pattern baldness, deepening of the voice, breast size reduction, infertility. Other effects include menstrual cycle changes, infertility and possible clitoral enlargement.

From the side effects listed above we can see that steroid use suppresses the production of normal bodily hormones. The body will attempt to adjust its own level of hormones, but disrupting or increasing the body's natural hormones will cause disruptive changes to the users own physical and mental environment. Having been in the fitness industry and the world of bodybuilding for many years I have heard all the excuses that people use to justify their use of anabolic steroids some quite hilarious. I have also seen people; and this includes friends, experience the drugs side effects. Some more serious than others but serious health problems have in the end become evident. My advice to anyone who is taking or even contemplating taking these drugs either for appearance, ego or as an easy option to hard training is to stay well away from them. They will affect you in some way, some minor effects with short term use, but more serious side effects with high dose long term use.
References:
Drugs in Sport. Second edition. David R Mottram.
Principles and Practice of Resistance Training. M. H. Stone. M Stone. W A Sands

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The term steroids normally are associated with reference to a class of drugs that are used to treat a variety of medical conditions. Steroids have several uses for medical purposes, such as maintaining sexual characteristics in males following surgery for removal of testes following testicular cancer, in adolescent males suffering with malfunction of the pituitary gland, and following surgery and cancer that involves loss of muscle tissue.

# data[].attributes.body
Why it is time to legalize steroids?

Athletes today are going to use steroids whether they are legal in the sport or not. Steroids have become the biggest scourge of many sports which is why the author feels as though it is time to legalize them. The main reason the sports leagues are wanting to prohibit steroids is because they give and unfair advantage over the athletes following the rules. If steroids are allowed then you would again have a level playing field and more fans would come to games to see athletes at the peak of their ability. With steroids baseball players would be able to pitch harder, hit farther. Steroids may seem like cheating to some but they could provide a more interesting game and a more level playing field

+ Many examples of logos, and evidence to support claims.

- One sided, does not show the other side of the topic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why It’s Time To Legalize Steroids In Professional Sports

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Various professional sports leagues have attempted to set a level playing field by testing for drug use and suspending those found guilty. It’s a noble effort, but it’s clearly not working. The answer? Legalize steroids.

# data[].attributes.body
Arnold Shwarzenegger speaks about his drug use in the past. The interviewer mentions that Shwarzenegger would not promote drug use now.

+Arnold Shwarzenegger admits to Steriod use

+It was legal at the time

+They were only experimenting with it

-It is not legal anymore

-Not much content

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has acknowledged using steroids during his years as a champion body builder, said he does not regret using the performance-enhancing drugs.

In an interview to be broadcast Sunday, the Austrian-born former actor told George Stephanopoulos: "I have no regrets about it, because at that time, it was something new that came on the market, and we went to the doctor and did it under doctors' supervision."

Schwarzenegger has acknowledged taking steroids, but pointed out that they were legal at the time.

"We were experimenting with it. It was a new thing. So you can't roll the clock back and say, 'Now I would change my mind on this,'" he said.

The former seven-time Mr. Olympia said he would not encourage drug use because it sent the wrong message to children. But he said he had no problem with athletes taking nutritional supplements and other legal substances to improve their performance.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has acknowledged using steroids during his years as a champion body builder, said he does not regret using the performance-enhancing drugs. In an interview to be broadcast Sunday, the Austrian-born former actor told George Stephanopoulos: "I have no regrets about it, because at that time, it was something new that came on the market, and we went to the doctor and did it under doctors' supervision."

# data[].attributes.body
What do steroids actually do?

When we lift weights heavier than what we're used to, we create tiny micro-tears in muscle fibers. The body's natural repair process repairs the tear and then overcompensates by adding bigger cells to build a stronger fiber. Natural testosterone is the body's main ingredient for this process. Injecting steroids into the bloodstream connects with the muscle's cell receiving dock and promotes cell growth. Basically helping athletes muscles recover faster. This is important for a couple key aspects in sports. Athletes muscles can recover faster, allowing the athlete to life more weight in a shorter period of time. It also always athletes to recover faster from soreness, which obviously gives them an unfair advantage.

+ Article is not biased, simply stating facts.

- The article does not address the negative effects of steroids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Credit: Dreamstime

A $252 million contract to play baseball causes "an enormous amount of pressure ... to perform at a high level every day," according to Alex Rodriguez, who provided details about the steroids he used as a professional athlete.

But how do steroids work?

Here is what most of us know about anabolic steroids: they make muscles grow faster, there are harmful side effects to our health, most sports leagues have banned them, and they are illegal without a prescription.

But how do they build lean muscle mass? Does an athlete just pop a few pills and then wait for the Popeye-spinach effect? Let's dig a little deeper into the science of steroids.

Legal uses

Anabolic steroids, or anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS), are the synthetic (made in a lab) derivatives of the naturally produced hormone testosterone. They promote the growth of muscle (anabolic effect) and the typical male characteristics of puberty (androgenic effect).

When legally prescribed, they are an option for patients who produce abnormally low levels of testosterone or who suffer from body-wasting diseases such as cancer or AIDS. When used by athletes, the goal is to speed up the body's natural muscle-building process.

When we lift weights heavier than what we're used to, we create tiny micro-tears in muscle fibers. The body's natural repair process repairs the tear and then overcompensates by adding bigger cells to build a stronger fiber - this is called muscular hypertrophy. Over time, this repeated process of teardown and re-build will result in muscle growth.

Natural testosterone is the body's main ingredient for this process, but anabolic steroids can serve as a supplement.

Once ingested, an AAS travels through the blood stream to the muscle tissue. It is drawn into the muscle cell's receiving dock, called an androgen receptor. Once delivered to the muscle cell, the steroid can interact with the cell's DNA and stimulate the protein synthesis process that promotes cell growth.

Different variants and amounts of AAS can cause different reactions producing either massive body-building physiques or more toned athletic muscles (i.e., Barry Bonds vs. A-Rod). Athletes experiment with different combinations (called stacking) or regimens (pyramiding) in an attempt to fine-tune the final result.

Beyond bulk

While the focus in the media is on the bulked-up home run hitters, anabolic steroids can also benefit pitchers and others who need a faster turnaround from sore, overused muscles. Intense exercise also releases cortisol, known as the stress hormone, which breaks down muscle tissue, producing sore muscles.

AAS can block cortisol from binding to the muscle cell's receptor sites, which diminishes the breakdown process. Less muscle breakdown means less muscle fatigue which would allow a pitcher to recover more quickly from a nine-inning outing.

Besides all of the known negative side effects of using steroids just for ergogenic reasons, there is also the uncertainty of what exactly you are taking. Last month, federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents arrested the owners of an Alabama-based online pharmacy on charges that they filled hundreds of illegal prescriptions for anabolic steroids for clients across the country.

The worst news for the customers of this pharmacy was delivered by U.S. Attorney Deborah Rhodes: "Each of the pharmacy owners and pharmacists named in the indictment are charged with prescribing and selling veterinary steroids, approved for cattle and livestock only, to humans."

Maybe a few more hours lifting weights each week now sounds like a better strength-building option.

Dan Peterson writes about sports science at his site Sports Are 80 Percent Mental.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A $252 million contract to play baseball causes "an enormous amount of pressure ... to perform at a high level every day," according to Alex Rodriguez, who provided details about the steroids he used as a professional athlete. But how do steroids work?