Steroid Abuse

Positive Drug Test on Grizzlies’ Mayo Makes Trading Difficult

Posted by Drug Free in Steroid Abuse on January 28th, 2011

Memphis Grizzlies’ reserve shooting guard O.J. Mayo has been suspended by the NBA for ten games after registering a positive drug test for Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). This drug is said to be a natural steroid hormone produced by the adrenalin glands and the gonads.

O.J. MayoIn 2009, the same drug was found on Rashard Lewis’ system and he too was given the same ten-day suspension. Both players, Lewis and Mayo, had the same excuse of taking over-the-counter supplements without knowing that the supplements contained DHEA.

This now puts the burden on the Memphis team as they will surely be having a hard time finding Mayo a new home. They have been trying to get rid of Mayo and had encountered problems finding another team to trade him to even without his testing positive for the DHEA drug. Now, the toll on the team is as big as ever. Looking into Mayo’s performance for this season, he was benched, got into a fight with Tony Allen, and now adds drug abuse on his already tarnished record. This could be the point where Mayo hits rock bottom.

This present obstacle could mean something good for the teams interested in acquiring Mayo, and a not so perfect scenario for the Grizzlies. In the situation that Mayo is currently in, most teams would not be desperate enough to meet the apparently high asking price of the Grizzlies for the disgruntled guard. One thing’s for sure though, they can’t keep Mayo around for too long. With the playoff spot still very much in contention, they could not afford to let Mayo drag them into a sinking vortex that would spell doomsday for the whole team.

As of now, the Memphis team has limited choices. They could depend on Chris Wallace, but then again Wallace has had his own woes when it comes to the games.

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What Parents Should Know About Steroid Abuse

Posted by Drug Free in Steroid Abuse on December 20th, 2010

Being a parent was never easy, even more so now that there seems to be more dangers and temptations for our teenaged kids to fall for.

One of the things that parents should watch out for is abuse of anabolic steroids, which has gained popularity in recent years among high school students who would like to improve their abilities in sports, the way some professional athletes do.

Here are some signs and symptoms that parents should watch out for when it comes to anabolic steroid abuse.

steroid abuseA teenager who is taking anabolic steroids will undergo rapid weight gain – as much as 5 to 10 kg within the first 12 weeks of taking the drug. They will also show rapid muscle development, which is one of the main reasons why student athletes – even ones who are still in high school – take steroids to begin with.

Teenagers are known to be at that stage in their lives when they are most prone to acne, and this is made even worse with steroid intake. Anabolic steroids can cause severe acne on the face, arms, shoulders and upper back.

Beyond physical changes and symptoms, parents may also notice extreme personality changes in teenagers who are taking anabolic steroids. A teen on steroids may be happy or pleasant one moment, then suddenly erupts in anger and rage.

Other signs of anabolic steroid intake include the appearance of red and purple spots on the body (especially in the upper body), baldness, changes in the color of the skin, swelling of the face, excessively oily skin, and development of breast tissue in males.

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Anabolic Steroids: Abuse, Effects and Prevention

Posted by Drug Free in Steroid Abuse on October 11th, 2010

Anabolic steroids are synthetic substances that relate to the male hormone testosterone. It helps in the development of skeletal muscles and acquiring male sexual characteristics both for males and females. Anabolic steroids or anabolic-androgenic steroids were first made in the early 1930s to treat a condition termed as hypogonadism in which the male testes do not produce enough hormone for proper growth and development and for sexual functioning.

steroidsLike a lot of substances that help in the body’s growth and development, anabolic steroids are frequently abused by people who want to improve athletic performance, increase muscle size and reduce body fat. It has been significantly noted that most athletes tend to use anabolic steroids to enhance their performance which makes for worldwide abuse of the substance. This is why screening and testing measures are strictly implemented especially at Olympic games to level off the field during competitions.

There are a lot of consequences related to anabolic steroids abuse. For one, using it disrupts the normal production of hormones by the body which can result to long-term irreversible changes especially on men. Another effect is the increase in cardiovascular diseases, the most common being heart attacks and strokes that happen to athletes as young as under the age of 30. This is because steroids can cause blood clots in blood vessels which prevent blood from reaching the heart muscles which can result to fatal conditions.

So what can be done to prevent the abuse of anabolic steroids? Research has shown that it isn’t enough to educate students about the adverse effects of anabolic steroids. Implementing strict guidelines on the use of steroids also doesn’t do much good especially for the adolescents in sports. Presenting both sides — the risks and advantages — of steroids use has been noted to be more efficient in controlling the youth from using the synthetic substance as they find it more convincing presenting a balance of information regarding the matter.

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Roger Clemens Indicted Over Use of Performance-Enhancing Drugs

Posted by Drug Free in Steroid Abuse on August 19th, 2010

Roger ClemensA report on ESPN shared that former Major League Baseball pitcher Roger Clemens was indicted on federal charges on Thursday, for lying to Congress about using performance-enhancing drugs. The six-count indictment stemmed from a statement that Clemens made before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Clemens had given the following statement as part of his testimony in February 2008: “Let me be clear. I have never taken steroids or HGH.”

His former trainer, former New York Yankees strength and conditioning coach Brian McNamee, gave statements that ran contrary to Clemens’ claims, and shared that he personally injected Clemens with HGH.

Clemens still stands by his initial testimony, however, and tweeted: “I never took HGH or Steroids. And I did not lie to Congress… I look forward to challenging the Governments accusations, and hope people will keep an open mind until trial. I appreciate all the support I have been getting. I am happy to finally have my day in court.”

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Erik Morales Comments on Manny Pacquiao and Drug Testing

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Testing, Steroid Abuse on August 19th, 2010

Pacquiao - MoralesAnother boxing star is joining the ranks of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Paulie Malignaggi in questioning Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao’s abilities, according to a feature on BoxingScene.com. Erik Morales has the distinction of being the last boxer to defeat Pacquiao in the ring (March 19, 2005, MGM Grand Las Vegas) – although Pacquiao is also responsible for Morales’ first knockout in his boxing career, during a re-match between the two boxers held on January 21, 2006, at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.

At any rate, Examiner.com’s Michael Marley shared a conversation with “El Terrible,” who expressed that he could not understand why Pacquiao would not agree to random drug testing. Marley quoted Morales, who said: “I don’t know, I am not familiar with drugs… But I must then ask why he would object to random testing if he has nothing to hide. If you have nothing to hide, then you agree to take all the tests, all the time.”

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Is Your Teen on Performance-Enhancing Drugs?

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Addiction, Steroid Abuse on August 14th, 2010

A feature on the Examiner.com shares a disheartening fact: the use of performance-enhancing drugs (PED) among high school students – both male and female – is on the rise, with about one million high school students having used anabolic steroids. Examiner’s Jack Dennis shares a few statistics: in 1993, one in 45 high school students were on anabolic steroids. That became one in 27 in 1997, and now, the number is at 1 in 16. The median age for those who try anabolic steroids for the first time is 15.

teen steroid useDr. Harrison Pope of Harvard University was quoted in the article: “the unique thing about steroids is that a trained eye can spot a user when they are walking in the door.”

So what are these things that a “trained eye” can look for? The physical manifestations of steroid use may include a sudden increase in muscle mass, resulting in weight gain, and small red or purplish acne which can break out on the shoulders and back as well.

Someone on steroids will also have unusually oily hair or skin. Boys will have an abnormally excessive development of breast tissue, while girls will have a decrease in breast size, a deepening of the voice and the appearance of facial hair. The steroid user may also suffer from bad breath and may be aggressive, irritable and hostile. Injection sites may lead to blood spots in the underwear, and a yellowing of the skin may point to possible liver damage.

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