Reading Log #2

     In the book The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk addresses my big question, "How do we accept the unfamiliar?" It's the story of three black sisters that take in a young white girl who has run away from an abusive father in the early 1960's. It's the story of the sisters' willingness to unconditionally accept Lily that helps her to overcome her fear of the unfamiliar and to heal from her past. Being open to their differences and accepting their similarities enable these women to bond together in a way that enables them to grow into their larger destiny.
     This book helped me understand how we accept the unfamiliar by being open and willing to be loved, to look beyond differences, and to realize the strength of community. It helps me to understand when I'm careful and cautious in my relationships, my possibilities and growth are limited. I would recommend this book to other women because it gives hope and courage to look beyond ourselves, our prejudices and our insecurities in order to realize a greater good.
    

Reading Log #1

     Kathryn Stockett addresses my big question, "How do we accept the unfamiliar?" in her book The Help by looking at the lives of black and white women in the American south in the 1960's. It's the story of a aspiring young journalist who encourages the black help to tell their story. What she realizes is that there is not that much that separates them. Once she was willing to open her mind and put aside the prejudices that were so much a part of her life, she could see that black women for who they were. As women, they all struggled with similar issues. She realizes the collective strength in telling their story and it's through the telling of their story that they have the courage to change their world.
     This book helped me better understand that being afraid of the unfamiliar is universal. It helped me realize that letting go of fear and being open-minded opens up undreamed of possibilities. I learned that sharing my struggles with others helps overcome fear and makes it possible to do things together that we can't do alone. I would highly recommend this book because it makes you laugh and cry and gives you hope that when we are open to the unfamiliar, we can change our world.

Hyperlinked Task

Kari K. wrote about youth competition and the stress for sucess in young athletes. What if we in a world where it was young kids in the major leagues and adults watching from the stands? That kids kept getting pushed at such a young age and eventually made it as a professional by age 8. Can you imagine a 4' 2" Barry Bonds?

Phil Z. asked the question: Do videos games cause or promote aggressive behavior? What if the fictional video world suddenly became our reality? Would kid sreact in the same way being aggressively violent or would they think about the consequences of the actions without being able to turn the game off?

Danielle C. wrote about educating the public about guns instead of restricting them. What if the education of guns became manditory in our school. Instead of running the mile kids would learn to point and shoot.

Steroids in Athletics

Steroids in Sports

Major League baseball has been a sport made up of talented athletes and big hitters since the beginning of time. It’s hard to imagine the sport without icons such as Barry Bonds and Mark McGuire. But what makes these players so good? Would the sport be the same or as entertaining without their presence? These are just two of many professional athletes being accused of taking steroids, performance-enhancing drugs. The use of performance-enhancing drugs, such as steroids, by athletes is illegal. There has been much debate over the use of steroids since they are proven to improve athletic performance, but may have negative side-effects. Steroids and performance-enhancing drugs should be available to professional athletes who are aware of the possible side effects and make a living in their sport. However, to young athletes they should remain illegal.

By definition anabolic steroids are the synthetic derivatives of the naturally occurring male anabolic hormone testosterone (Anabolic Steroids). More precisely anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) have origins from the Greek: anabolic, meaning “to build”, and androgenic, meaning “masculinizing” (Anabolic Steroids). They are synthetic compounds available legally and illegally (Hyde and Setaro). Legally they can be prescribed by doctors to help treat asthma and inflammation of the skin or other parts of the body (Anabolic Steroids and Sports: Winning at any Cost), however, some athletes take them illegally to boost there athletic performance (Anabolic Steroids and Sports: Winning at any Cost). Some of the reported negative side effects and health risks of AAS include: effects on the gonads, heart disease, liver damage and cancers, skeletal muscular damage, psychiatric disorders and even possible death (Anabolic Steroids and Sports: Winning at any Cost). The positive effects include: increased muscle strength, enhanced athletic performance, and increased physical endurance (Hyde and Setaro). Because of the negative side effects and providing  what is seen as an unfair advantage, AAS are banned by the governing bodies of professional sports including the National Football League (NFL), and Major League Baseball (MLB) (Steroids and Sports: Winning at any Cost). They are also banned in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and the Olympics (Steroids and Sports: Winning at any Cost).

Steroids are generally frowned upon, but this doesn’t seem to be stopping athletes from using them to build muscle, become stronger , and get better at their sport. In the quest to run faster, recover quicker, hit harder, athletes continue to turn to these substances and improve their performances as the salaries of sports figures soar higher and higher. Some athletes get caught, some do not. Some athletes simply learn to beat the system and still use these drugs. The question remains, does the professional athlete knowing the side effects, have the right to choose whether or not to use them? The use of performance-enhancing substances should be acceptable in competitive sports.   

One argument against allowing the use of AAS in competitive sports is that they have negative health risks such as: testicular atrophy (shrunken testicles), impotence, decreased sex drive, infertility due to decreased sperm production; bone loss; skeletal muscular damage; cardiovascular disease; liver damage; and increased aggression (Dangers of Steroid Abuse). It’s difficult to determine the exact side effects of AAS because of the different types and way they are administered. “Steroids can be taken orally or they can be injected” (Anabolic Steroids). The oral form of steroids are especially hard on the liver, so the more popular type of AAS used today are the shorter-lasting water soluble injections. (Anabolic Steroids) The problem arises when different types of steroids are taken together or when other drugs are added, such as stimulants, painkillers, or growth hormones. This is called “stacking”. The idea is that using different drugs will produce greater strength or muscle size, but stacking can cause the most damage to the body. (Anabolic Steroids) Although steroid use can have negative side effects, its the way they are taken, the unsupervised use, and the abuse of different types of AAS that creates the most danger. The most damaging effects of steroids are attributed to the type that are orally administered as evidenced by the impact on the liver of athletes taking the drugs this way. The death of former professional football player, Lyle Alzado, was attributed to oral steroid use. However, injectable steroids administered by a knowledgeable physician can avoid the problems of “stacking” and can lessen the possible abuse of these drugs. The problem arises when steroids get into the hands of unprofessionals, especially kids who don’t how to take them safely. Many high school athletes take steroids with the intent of looking more “cut” and don’t pay attention to the possible side-effects of “stacking” or what happens when these drugs are abused.   

Irrefutable evidence as to the negative side effects of AAS is difficult to prove. As far as gonad effect, some studies suggest that hormonal balance is restored after AAS use is discontinued. Clinical information pertaining to skeletal muscular damage is not abundant, and hard “evidence of cardiovascular morbidity associated with AAS has been difficult to come by”. (Dangers of Steroid Abuse). Liver function tests are not always reliable in detecting AAS use because intense training can cause the same results and levels are normal after a few weeks of discontinuing the use of the drug. As far as psychiatric effects of AAS usage, “it appears far more likely that increased aggression is partly a product of the type and combination of the substance used and mostly a product of the user’s personality.” (Dangers of Steroid Abuse) Although steroid use can have negative side effects, it’s difficult to say for sure that steroids always cause the problems and to the extent that opponents say they cause. Norman Frost, professor of pediatrics and bioethics at the University of Wisconsin says that sport itself is far more dangerous than taking steroids. He states, “The number of deaths from playing professional football and college football are 50 to 100 times higher than even the wild exaggerations about steroids. More people have died playing baseball than have died of steroid use.” (Katz) He admits to the undesirable side effects of AAS like acne, baldness and voice changes, but refutes that there is any hard scientific evidence that steroid use can result in death or that they are undeniably responsible for the extent of the problems mentioned above.

Another opposing argument to allowing the use of performance enhancing drugs for professional athletes is the negative message it sends today’s youth. Everyone loves a winner and if steroids help improve performance, young athletes are going to want to “be like Mike” in every way. Unsupervised AAS use can be dangerous especially if they are combined with other drugs like stimulants, pain killers, or growth hormone. High school and college athletes who aspire to play at the next level are more apt to misuse, abuse or combine AAS than professional athletes. Because teens are growing, they may be more susceptible to the negative side effects of steroids. For instance, “AAS can stunt the vertical growth of adolescent users” (Anabolic Steroid Use in Adolescents and High School) because of the effects of extra testosterone on the growth plates of the bones. “Too much additional testosterone in an adolescent user’s body can cause hormones to send false maturity messages resulting in the premature fusion of growth plates and reduction in overall height.” (Anabolic Steroid Use in Adolescents and High School) Excessive testosterone can also lead to increased acne, male pattern baldness and prostate enlargement. (Anabolic Steroid Use in Adolescents and High School) Oral steroids are harder for the liver to metabolize than those that are injected into the muscle. Teens however prefer the oral AAS because of convenience and ease of use(Anabolic Steroid Use in Adolescents and High School). Because teens are still growing and lack the maturity to recognize the indicators of over use of AAS, adolescent use of steroids is a concern. Educating coaches, trainers, and student athletes to the potential harmful effects of steroid abuse and making them less available to teens is more important than prohibiting professionals from using AAS.

Prohibiting professional athletes from using performance enhancing drugs will not guarantee that teens won’t use them. The real culprit is society itself and the expectations and priority placed on appearance and competitive sport. High salaries, glamorous life-styles and material wealth no doubt influence teens to aspire to such a life, but it’s unrealistic to put all the blame on the professional athlete for teens using AAS who aspire for fame, fortune, and fit physiques.  In fact, a survey done by the University of Michigan in 2006 found that steroid use among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders has declined since 2003 (Steroid Use in Adolescents and High School). One reason for the decline may be the rise in programs designed to educate teens about the dangers of taking AAS. The Anabolic Steroid Prevention for Teen Athletes (ATLAS) is one such program that provides male, high school athlete steroid users with peer counseling, factual information and healthy alternatives(Anabolic Steroid Use in Adolescents and High School). The success of these types of education programs is proof that education and counseling may be more beneficial in detering teens from taking steroids than prohibiting professional athletes from taking them. To blame professional athletes for teens using AAS is too simplistic. There are many factors responsible for teens using steroids such as aspirations for playing at the next level, looking more “cut”, and ignorance about the dangers of AAS abuse.  One solution might be to have stiffer penalties for coaches and trainers who allow young athletes to use ASS, instead of prohibiting the use of steroids by professional athletes.

Professional athletes should have the option to use ASS under a physician’s supervision, as long as they are aware of the possible side-effects. Julian Savulescu, professor of practical ethics at the University of Oxford suggests a modest approach to steroid use for professional athletes. He says, “To say that we should reduce drugs in sport or eliminate them because they increase performance, is simply like saying that we should eliminate alcohol from parties because it increases sociability” (Katz). As long as sponsors and fans demand that athletes put on a good show by running faster, hitting harder, and playing with explosive strength, professional athletes are going to do what it takes to improve their performance. Savulescu states, ”As we’ve argued, performance enhancement is not against the spirit of sport, it’s been a part of sport through its whole history, and to be human is to be better, or at least to try to be better” (Katz). Some drugs, like human growth hormone have minimal side effects for athletes and actually help athletes repair and recover at a faster rate (Balko). Because professional athletes are expected to perform at such a high level and have to be able to recover quickly from injuries, they should be able to use steroids like human growth hormone on a limited bases. Bob Costas, moderator of a recent debate on allowing steroids in sports, suggested instead of a “pass/fail” approach to steroid use that a more “nuanced” approach might make more sense (Costas). Radley Balko, a senior editor and investigative journalist for Reason magazine suggests that steroid use should be okay “if the aim is to make sick people better or broken people whole again” (Katz).

The main arguments against allowing performance enhancing drugs in professional sports is because of the side-effects and because it could influence young people to use these drugs. Research shows that the side-effects can be minimized if administered properly under physician supervision. Some drugs like human growth hormone have been shown to have minimal effects while improving recovery time. As far as the influence on young athletes, it’s true that young athletes are going to go to any extent to go to the next level, but its unfair to put all the blame on professional athletes. In fact, education programs targeted at young athletes to discourage steroid use have been effective in decreasing the use of these drugs in teens. Society is partially to blame for influencing both young aspiring athletes and professional athletes to resort to steroid use tin order to improve performance.  

Works Cited

“Anabolic Steroid Use in Adolescents and High Schools.” Steroidabuse.com. 4 Nov.         2010. http://www.steroidabuse.com/steroid-use-in-high-schools.html.
Balko, Radley. Audio Excerpt of Debate.“Should We Accept Steroid Use in Sports?” The       Intelligence Squared U.S. series. Asia Society and Museum, New York City. 23         Jan. 2008. 1Nov. 2010.                                        http://www.hpr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18299098.
Costas, Bob. Audio Excerpt of Debate.“Should We Accept Steroid Use in Sports?” The         Intelligence Squared U.S. series. Asia Society and Museum, New York City. 23         Jan. 2008. 1 Nov. 2010.                                         http://www.hpr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18299098.
“Dangers of Steroid Abuse.” Steroidabuse.com. 4 Nov. 2010.                         http://www.steroidabuse.com/steroid-use-in-high-schools.html.   
ESPN.com. 6 Sept. 2010. ESPN Network. 20 Oct. 2010                         http://espn.go.com/special/s/drugsandsports/steroids.html
Hyde,  Margaret O. and John F. Setaro, M.D. Drugs 101: An Overview for Teens.
    21st Century Books: Minneapolis, 2003.
Katz, Jeffery. “Should we Accept Steroid Use in Sports?” Hpr.org. 23 Jan. 2008. 1             November 2010                                              <http://www.hpr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18299098> .
New York Heath Publication. Anabolic Steroids in Sports: Winning at any Cost. 1             Nov.2010 http:/www.health.state.ny.us/publications/1210/.