| Steroid use has become an increasingly frustrating | | | | increased use with 1.4% using in the month prior |
| problem for those in the professional sports | | | | to the survey and 2.5% using in the year prior to |
| industry with admissions by major players that | | | | the survey.This same study shows that gender, |
| steroid use was involved in their lives. Even more | | | | race, and cultural beliefs highly impact the decision |
| frightening than the widespread abuse of steroids | | | | of whether or not to use steroids. The research |
| by professional sports players is the alarming | | | | shows that Caucasian students are more likely to |
| number of teenagers and young athletes using | | | | use steroids than African Americans, Hispanics, or |
| steroids with the belief that they will help them | | | | those of other races. Gender also plays a key |
| become faster, stronger, or better at performing | | | | role in determining who will develop an addiction to |
| in athletic competitions. People have taken steroids | | | | steroids or use them at least once. Men use |
| for football, baseball, swimming, wrestling, weight | | | | steroids overwhelmingly more than women. In this |
| lifting, running, and other sports. When the | | | | case, the pressures of the gender may contribute |
| statistics are reviewed, they show that steroid | | | | to the development of this type of addiction. |
| use is increasing in this age group, which can have | | | | Most women are encouraged to be pretty or thin, |
| serious consequences.A study that was | | | | but men are expected to be masculine, strong, |
| conducted from 1999 to 2001 shows that steroid | | | | and physically fit. Many fathers encourage their |
| use among teenagers has been on the rise and | | | | sons to participate in athletics, leading their sons |
| gives statistics that support that assumption. In | | | | to believe that top performance is a must. These |
| 1999, 2.7% of tenth grade students report having | | | | young men then turn to steroids to help them |
| used steroids at least one time in their lives, while | | | | build muscle mass, run faster, hit the ball harder, |
| 2.9% of twelfth grade students reported steroid | | | | or have more energy and stamina.The use of |
| use. The survey was repeated in 2001 and | | | | anabolic steroids and steroidal supplements is |
| showed that the incidence of steroid use had | | | | certainly an issue for student athletes. The best |
| increased. Tenth grade students reported a 3.5% | | | | way to reduce the incidence of steroid use is to |
| incidence rate of steroid use, while the use of | | | | emphasize natural methods of bulking up and |
| steroids by twelfth-graders increased to 4%. The | | | | performing better such as cardiovascular exercise, |
| same study surveyed the sample of students and | | | | weight bearing exercises, and a healthy diet. With |
| asked how frequently their steroid use occurred. | | | | this type of positive encouragement, students |
| In the tenth grade group, 1.0% had used steroids | | | | may feel less pressure to perform well and avoid |
| within the month preceding the survey and 2.2% | | | | using steroids as a means of performance |
| had used steroids within a year preceding the | | | | enhancement. |
| survey. The twelfth grade group showed | | | | |