Andro & Steroids :: essays research papers

In the passed few years there has been an increase in the popularity of performance-enhancing supplements that are used by athletes. Some of the most popular of these supplements are creatine and androstenedione. They are used by some very famous athletes in professional sports. There are many problems that go along with using these supplements that are not only health-wise, but also the message that is being sent to children involved in youth athletics. Athletes today are not thinking of what kind effects will happen to them in the long run. However, they are looking for easier ways of training and enhancing their performance. They are under a great deal of pressure to succeed and win all the time that it must be easier to find a short cut to being an elite athlete. In this paper I will explore the risks with these supplements, some regulations that are placed on athletes to, and if they truly work. Also I will give an overview of what both creatine and androstenedione are.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For as long as I can remember I have been involved in athletics of all kinds and have always loved the atmosphere that sports provide. Being involved in both high school basketball and golf and now finally playing golf for Xavier, I have been subjected to rigorous training and conditioning. Never once did I have the aid of any type of artificial supplement or performance-enhancing drug helping me condition or build muscles faster. However, when I was in high school I was Griffith 2 aware of may guys who were taking these supplements such as creatine and androstenedione and getting very muscular, extremely fast. â€Å"Creatine and androstenedione† were common words used around the halls of my school. Hearing these words made me curious about what exactly they were, what the effects they had on athletes, and if they were illegal. I found it very interesting that these supplements were somehow all over the news and that some really famous athletes had used them. I wondered if they were safe to use and if they had any side effects. In researching this topic of artificial supplements and performance-enhancing drugs, I had many mixed feelings about how I felt about their use by athletes. However, after my research was completed I have a firm opinion that these supplements should be banned from athletics all together.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many questions came up during my research of these performance-enhancing supplements. Among one of my first questions was, â€Å"What exactly are creatine and androstenedione?† This and many of the other questions I had about the supplements