Steroid use is very likely unbridled throughout professional football. Even major players admit it. Here’s proof, and why you want to steer clear of the side effects.
“I think it (performance enhancing drug (PED) use in the NFL) is very rampant,” former NFL superstar Eddie George said to Sports Illustrated, back in 2015.
“I think it’s very prevalent…It’s tough for me to put my mind around somebody that can come back from an injury that takes typically a year to heal from totally in three, four months.”
There you have it. And just look at the size and speed of these players today as well, and there you have your confirmation.
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Is it worth it? Taking PEDs can come at a high cost. Sure, you know it already but I’m going to be your mom and say it again. And again and again and again, until it hits home.
Increases in Violence
It’s true that some steroids are readily prescribed by doctors to help patients heal, and they do work wonders. The argument against steroids isn’t entirely objective. The problem is, when you mix these devils in with sport, the probability for abuse soars.
It can be scary stuff. George says he thinks the increase in off-field domestic violence involving players is linked to PED use. Things like Ray Rice knocking down his fiancée Janay Palmer and dragging her unconscious from an elevator, (George didn’t mention Rice specifically, but we do), is linked. Things like this are likely caused by the side effects of steroid use, he believes.
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Truth? You can be a great athlete without the juice. You just can. Anything is possible- Einstein said if you can imagine it, it can be.
If you’re thinking of going on the juice, or thinking that nothing can touch you while you’re on it- or maybe someone you know is on it- here’s a list of nasty side effects. Just a reminder of what science has in store for you.
Remember, you CAN succeed while actually being normally human:
Uncontrollable Emotions
As George has stated, “increases (in) your testosterone… only trigger your emotions. And sometimes you can’t control those emotions. I figure that over a period of time – from the time I played until now – there have been a lot of issues off the field that we have talked about where there have – it’s violent and it could be related to it.”
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Do you want to be a raging lunatic? Especially if you’re in high school and your body is still developing, putting extra testosterone into your body makes everything unbalanced and brings you back to puberty.
Wasn’t middle school a nice emotional vacation time? No thanks.
Liver Toxicity
If you want a damaged liver, go for it. Using steroids disrupts the way your liver works and can potentially cause it to fail. But you didn’t need it anyways, did you. You’re superman.
Cancer
Lance Armstrong. Say no more. Perhaps…PERHAPS Armstrong’s cancer was caused by naturally occurring circumstances, but arguably not. The former world-class cyclist developed testicular cancer that spread throughout his body, which is sad.
Since he’s admitted to using PEDs and “won” the Tour de France a whopping 7 times between 1999 and 2005, chances are it could have been related to injecting banned substances for a while. Not conclusive, but possible.
Stunted Growth (you’re going to be short…forever)
Taking steroids when you’re body is still developing will mess with your growth. Steroids can cause your bones to grow faster than they’re supposed to, and then this causes them to stop growing at an early age.
So, you were trying to be bigger, faster and furthermore, stronger but really, you’re now just shorter than you could be. Forever.
Breasts on Guys
It’s well known that steroid use can cause men to grow breasts. Not boobs like Pamela Anderson’s but boobs, nonetheless. Steroids can be chemically transformed into estrogen inside your body and the result is as stated: breasts on men.
Heart Attacks, Hair Loss and More
Steroid use can go so far as to give you a heart attack. Ed Gheur, a retired rugby player suffered a heart attack at 34 from constant steroid use. Read about how he was in a coma for a month and in intensive care for 2 more following this, here.
Even steroid.com admits, “It´s important to note that steroid abuse is the cause of many side effects, and that the simple use of steroids can not be blamed for this. It´s when the line is crossed from use into abuse that we see all of these effects as being not only possible but probable.”
Keep it real.
Photo credit: Victor Moussa/Shutterstock
