Page 4 The Consumer's Medical Journal HeaMi Review Testes to Testy: A Look at Anabolic Steroids By Christa M. Gutzier Today, the word, "steroid" connotes ideas of illegal activity, toxic self-destruction, and testosterone-fueled competition. The frenzied power and eruptible behavior exercised by people on steroids has not always been the primary focus, nor was this aggressive combination the intention for the first incidents of chemically synthesized testosterone usage. In the 19th century, scientific and biological interests piqued dur- ing the investigation into what features were truly demonstrative of male identity. It is speculated that the question posed was, "What really made a man a man?" To find answers, scientists isolated the testes of various male birds and erroneously hypothesized that displacing these organs in their abdomens or other locations throughout the body would affect the male sexual reproductive system. Their findings suggested that the anabolic functions of testoserone could serve many purposes including prolonged and elevated states of physical and mental prowess. To be anabolic means to take simple sub- stances and make them more complex. Testosterone is not harmful dis- cretely, but when compounded with synthetic matter, the hormones take on a life of their own. These discoveries were invaluable to scientists who undertook the synthesization of testosterone, which later produced an extract that would come to be known as the first anabolic steroid. To trace the history of steroids from the initial intended usages to its mod- em appeal requires a look at the historical, physiological, and cultural aspects of these controversial hormones. As a synthetic derivative of testosterone, steriods' multifaceted effects have both legitimate and illegal subtexts. Because the steroids in question are known to be anabolic, they refer to complex substances made from simpler ones as opposed to catabolic substances that are bro- ken down from their complex origins. Natural anabolism, taking place in all humans, activates cell growth and promotes overall muscle and bone enhancement by way of protein creation and other systematic swelling agents cued by cell division. Unnaturally generated anabolism imparted by illegal steroid use tends to give way to a host of unwanted effects often overlooked by exiting or potential steroid users. Participat- ing in the process of anabolism, steroidal use of testosterone synthesizes simple compounds into more complex ones. Our naturally processed tcsosterone is essentially drowning in extraneous amounts of its own kind at the receptor site when steroids are injected, thereby causing extremely hazardous side efFects and the likelihood of an overdose. A choice to engage in illegal steroid use translates to a choice in sab- otaging the natural testosterone mechanics in one's body. Anabolic steroids not only affect growth, baldness, impotence, and susceptibility to disease, but the desired outcomes of usage may derail from hyper- activity muscle and bone strength to out of control fits of aggression and hostility. Most steroid users do so to maximize body weight regimens and increase muscle development, but the long-term and side effects of habitual use can prove to be addictive and deadly. Steroids have been known to cause erratic behavior that matches sociopathic tendencies as both mind and body are affected by hormone injections of this magni- tude. Using steroids in cycles is a common tactic, which throws the state of the user's mental and physical systems into a chaotic world of highs and lows. Because steroids target the hormone receptors responsible for increased and rapid physical activity, their potency can be alarming and addictive. Enter the illegalization of anabolic steroids. While the isolation of testosterone was initially done in the early twentieth century to better understand the physiological mechanisms of change in male sexual development, the anabolistic tendencies of steroidal use, such as the directed enhancement of both sexual and phys- ical endurance, was not considered until chemically synthetic com- pounds were pulled into the experiment. Not until 1938's Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (F.F.D.C.) was passed did the Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A.) revise the fn-st Act passed in 1906 by implent- ing new systems of control over illegal sale, possession, and consump- tion of "adulterated" substances. Included in these revisions was a direct claim that "adulterated" sub- stances are those that "consist in whole or in part of any filthy, putrid, or decomposed substance." (Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, Sec. 501. [21 u s e 351]) This legislation did little to dissuade Olympic "This is the defensive tacide, Aivin ingram ... He's eight feet, five inches taii... He weighs five hundred and eighty three pounds ... His major is genetic engineering. " competitors from engaging in illegal steroid use to bolster individual and national success in the mid 1900's. Prompted to overhaul regula- tions prohibiting this illegal and unethical behavior, the International Olympic Council and other major athletic organizations worldwide worked to enact new policies and investigations to both detect and stop anabolic steroid use in the 197O's. While their efforts put illegal steroid use front and center, trainers and athletes alike continued to misuse, administer, and distribute steroids. To date, suspensions, jail time, and public scrutiny have not discretely or collectively proved to be power- ful enough deterrents for illegal and unhealthy steroid use. Some people question the illegality of steroids for those not engaged in competitive sport, because testosterone supplements, if usage is mon- itored and controlled, can have legitimate purposes. Doctors and scien- tists fielding these inquiries simply maintain that the vitamins, diet, and exercise that supplant the effects of steroids have been deemed healthi- er and less likely to result in addictive dependence. As we know, contin- ued steroid overindulgence still plagues our country's most beloved sports heroes and competitions. Perhaps more distressing is the frequen- cy with which the adolescent and teenage population use steroids before their bodies have a chance to output the natural doses of tesosterone that attribute to healthy and timely physical and sexual development. The potential for long-term hazardous effects, as well as abusive addiction, has been rampant in younger users in recent years. Their apti- tude for decreased levels of self-control and cavalier attitudes about the likelihood of extended use and its effects contributes to youthful steroid abuse. That is why advocacy and awareness groups are on the rise to educate both parents and coaches of young athletes and the target users themselves of the risks involved in using and abusing steroids. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (N.I.D.A.), the Association Against Steroid Abuse, and Athletes Targeting Healthy Exercise & Nutrition Alternatives (A.T.H.E.N.A.) are just a few organizations active in pre- venting steroid abuse in teens. By distributing reference material on the harsh reality of steroid use, organizing leadership workshops for kids, parents, and coaches, and offering concrete alternatives to the "juice," or "pumpers," as they are often called, awareness and prevention are also on the rise. Before the effects of steroid ingestion became a desired and danger- ous habit for sports-related success and to achieve other weight, muscle, and stamina goals, steroids were simply the result of an experiment involving the male organs of birds. The testes of birds that were isolat- ed and studied led to the discovery of testosterone, the powerhouse behind those metabolic and physiological changes that take place in members of the male sex. More clinical studies at the turn of the twen- tieth century exposed testosterone as an androgen, the generic term for the hormone compounds directly related to male sex organ and charac- teristic development. Today, we know that testosterone is a naturally produced hormone in both men and women, although male production is said to be nearly 50 times greater than in its female counterpart. Increased testosterone levels in males are naturally affected by a thirst for power or status, the presence of female pheromes, and sleep in the rapid eye movement (REM) stage. Conversely, testosterone levels are naturally decreased by depressive episodes, vitamin deficiencies and aging. If you mix in the hyperactive effects of illegal anabolic steroid injection, the results can Continued on page 7