Running head: FINAL PAPER ANABOLIC STEROIDS

Final Paper Anabolic Steroids

Eric Hager
SPHE 314 Exercise Physiology

FINAL PAPER ANABOLIC STEROIDS

Final Paper- Anabolic Steroids

Introduction
According to Wilmore, Costill, & Kenney (2008), anabolic steroids are almost
completely identical substances to male sex hormones. These hormones work to rapidly increase
muscle mass and bone maturation to accommodate the growth. Steroids are widely manipulated
in laboratories to exhibit and inhibit varying aspects of the hormones; some are manufactured to
reduce or increase the androgenic properties, as well as change the rate of metabolism and
elimination of the substances. This paper will examine the ergogenic properties of steroids, the
effects on athletic performance, medical considerations, and other applications pertaining to
exercise physiology.
Steroids use remains highly controversial, particularly with regard to their benefits.
Historically, steroids were used to expedite the growth patterns of juveniles to meet normalized
standards. Other more popularly accepted ergogenic benefits include the ability to increase fatfree mass and strength while reducing body fat. There are also beliefs that anabolic steroid use
can increase aerobic capacity and endurance, as well as facilitate increased recovery from intense
training, making the drugs particularly desirable to a wide variety of athletes. However, it is
important to note that demonstrable results are not always conclusive. In fact, research remains
about evenly divided regarding the effectiveness of steroids. It appears that, on the whole, there
is a notable increase in muscle mass and strength, but less is known about an exact dosage that
equates to specific results. In other words, while steroids will improve muscle mass and strength,
it is one of several factors to consider in overall body composition and muscular strength
improvements (Wilmore, Costill, & Kenney, 2008).

FINAL PAPER ANABOLIC STEROIDS

According to Gunnar (2004), the Dietary Supplement and Education Act of 1994 was
legislated to provide a framework, whereby dietary supplements could be guaranteed for safety,
particularly regarding any health-related claims. Likewise, the Act also requires nutrient labeling
of all ingredients, including those that may have any nutritional value. However, while the
intentions of this Act were seemingly upright, it appears that many supplement manufacturers
could find loopholes in the system, particularly with those products that should have been
classified as drugs, which are subject to specific testing and more rigorous regulations. One
example of such a substance that should be regulated and classified as a drug, is
androstenedione; a known precursor to testosterone.
Ergogenic Aids
According to Ahrendt (2001), substances or devices that are used to enhance energy
production or aid in recovery with the intention to provide a competitive advantage for athletes is
referred to as an ergogenic aid. Ergogenic aids have widely been used across competitive sports
for many years as a way to bolster performance. Several recent studies cite the use of ergogenic
aids to be as much as 76 percent among college athletes, and nearly 100 percent among
bodybuilders. Additionally, Americans alone have spent almost $12 billion on supplements
annually, with an expected growth rate of use between 10 and 14 percent per year.
The growth of the supplement industry continues to climb at a steady pace with new
ergogenic products being marketed almost daily. While the vast majority of these products are
being classified as supplements, there is little to no scientific evidence behind the product claims,
as their labels have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Ahrendt,
2001). Ahrendt (2001) suggests four specific questions that should be asked when considering
whether or not a product is worth using: (1) What is the theory and physiological basis for the

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products action? (2) What scientific studies have been published in peer-viewed journals that
corroborate or refute the products claims? (3) What are the side effects, and are they potentially
adverse? And, (4) What is the products legality?
According to Ahrendt (2004), anabolic steroids have three mechanisms of action that
create an ergogenic effect. First, steroids work to reverse the actions of glucocorticoids by
metabolizing ingested protein intake and converting the negative nitrogen balance to a positive
balance. Secondly, steroids facilitate the direct synthesis of skeletal muscle. Thirdly, steroids
induce a euphoric rush that eliminates fatigue and provides the athlete increased feelings of
energy that allow for more intense levels and durations of training.
Effects of Steroid Use on Athletic Performance
According to Gunnar (2004), studies have shown that oral doses of androstenedione
emulates the effects of testosterone that is given intravenously or intramuscularly. However, the
exact effects appear to be related to dosage, as a study performed on 30 healthy men
demonstrated no conclusive evidence of an ergogenic effect. Instead, the results showed that a
300 mg/d dose of androstenedione only led to elevated serum levels of estrone, which suggested
that much of the supplement converted directly to estrogen, as opposed to testosterone.
Interestingly, the recommended dosage of androstenedione that is provided by manufactures is
between 100 to 300 mg/d. Further, these findings demonstrate that not all steroid
supplementation has an ergogenic effect, nor a demonstrated effect on muscular strength and
endurance.
Ahrendt (2004) also contends that the research on steroids shows mixed results with
regard to athletic performance. Early studies using physiologic (normal) doses, as well as doses
two to three times higher do, in fact, demonstrate an increase in muscle mass and strength. One

FINAL PAPER ANABOLIC STEROIDS

study over a 10-week period of 40 men examined the effect of supraphysiologic (higher than
normal) testosterone doses. There were placebo groups included with those that received the
steroid enanthate, as well as groups that included training and those that did not. Controlled
measures were training times and dietary intake. The results of the study found that muscle size,
fat-free mass, and muscular strength increased more than the placebo groups. Naturally, the
biggest increase in mass and strength were with the training plus testosterone group, which
demonstrated a 23 percent increase in muscular strength (as demonstrated on bench press), and a
9 percent increase in mass. Conversely, the training plus placebo group realized a 9 percent
increase in muscular strength, along with a 3 percent increase in mass. Further, the study
concluded that the dosages of steroids given were comparable to those taken by athletes.
Steroids versus Human Growth Hormone
According to Hintz (2004), human growth hormone use was first used therapeutically 45
over years ago. Since that time, there has been significant discourse on the effectiveness of the
substance within clinical and non-clinical settings. Growth hormone approval varies
considerably between countries; however, it is commonly and historically used for treatment of
growth hormone deficiency in children, or growth-related disorders due to genetic diseases. As
such, the Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of growth hormone for children
who are at least 2.5 standard deviations below the mean of the shortest 1 percent of children.
Growth hormone is also approved for adult use in AIDS-related wasting disease and growth
hormone deficiency, usually created by a pituitary tumor.
In terms of increasing athletic potential, human growth hormone is often used as an
ergogenic aid, specifically for its anabolic properties and ability to change body composition by
increasing fat-free mass (Haupt, 1993). Likewise, growth hormone has been touted as having

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anti-aging properties by offsetting or slowing the normal aging process. However, those claims
are widely disputed, as there is no concrete evidence that demonstrates a significant effect on the
process of aging (Haupt, 1993).
Haupt (1993) contends that in terms of use of ergogenic aids, growth hormone appears to
be limited, primarily by the substances cost, as well as the fact that steroids are easier to access
and more widely used among athletes. Regarding the adverse effects of growth hormone, it
appears to be related to excessive use, which results in acromegalic syndrome; a debilitating
condition characterized by the overgrowth of bone and soft tissue.
Similar to steroids, there is a lack of concrete effectiveness of human growth hormone, as
it also appears to be related to dosage. In conjunction with the overall lack of demonstrated
effectiveness, other notable side effects of human growth hormone include diabetes, high blood
pressure, excessive muscle and joint pain, edema, and carpal tunnel syndrome (Haupt, 1993).
Further, there is a lack of well-controlled studies in clinical settings that could better establish
human growth hormone as an effective anabolic agent. For now, it appears that more and more
people are being exploited and exposed to unnecessary risks by the deliberate marketing efforts
of supplement companies.
Medical Risk of Steroid Use
The medical effects are especially concerning, particularly for those athletes that engage
in chronic steroid use. Some of the most notable effects are decreased bodily secretion of
testosterone, decreased sperm count and impotence, increased estrogen production leading to the
development of male breasts (gynecomastia), disruption of ovulation and menstruation in
females, deepening of the voice, excessive facial hair, and bone abnormalities (Wilmore, Costill,
& Kenney, 2008). Gunner (2004) adds other serious side effects that include decreased levels of

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HDL-cholesterol, increased risk of heart disease, acne, and benign prostate hyperplasia. It is also
important to note that the androgenic effects of steroid use can be quite unpleasant, causing
adverse changes in mood, emotions, and behavior, which can often be serious and potentially
irreversible (Ahrendt, 2004).
Summary
In summary, it appears that the effectiveness of both steroids and human growth hormone
as ergogenic aids continues to be debated among users. There are mixed results as far as marked
improvements in athletic performance are regarded, but mentionable positive effects on muscle
mass and increased strength. Equally, it is challenging to determine the exact benefits of each
substance, as they are often taken together, or in conjunction with other supplements (Saugy,
2006). Likewise, there are a wide range of ethical and legal implications to consider, along with
the marked health detriments. Generally speaking, artificial improvement of performance for
sport is felt to be unfair and morally wrong, hence the advent of the World Anti-Doping Code
that serves to protect fair sport competition (Wilmore, Costill, & Kenney, 2008). Further, the
general consensus appears to be against the use of steroids as an ergogenic aid, as much more
research needs to be done on the long-term effects of the drug across the lifespan. Because of the
high rates of steroid abuse among athletes and bodybuilders, the primary focus remains on
education against the use of steroids as a performance-enhancing alternative.

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References
Ahrendt, D. (2001). Ergogenic aids: Counseling the athlete. American Family Physician, 63(5),
913.
Gunnar, B. (2004). Nutritional supplements as ergogenic acids. Patient Care, 38(1), 37.
Haupt, H. (1993). Anabolic steroids and growth hormone. American Journal of Sports Medicine,
21(3), 468-474.
Hintz, R. (2004). Growth hormone: Uses and abuses. British Medical Journal, 328(7445), 907908. doi: 10.1136/bmj.328.7445.907
Saugy, M. et al. (2006). Human growth hormone doping in sport. British Journal of Sports
Medicine, 40(Suppl 1), i35-i39. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2006.027573
Wilmore, J., Costill, D., & Kenney, W. (2008). Physiology of Sport & Exercise (5th ed.)
Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.