azi experiments on German soldiers during World War II, steroids were used to increase aggressiveness and improve athletic performance (Wade, 1972). Their use quickly spread to America, first manifesting itself in sports requiring great physical strength: body building, weight lifting, etc. Soon, though, use of anabolic steroids spread to endurance sports such as swimming, distance running, and wrestling (Shuer, 1982, p. 17).
Anabolic steroids are taken either orally or by injection. Simply put, they are absorbed in the intestine, travel through the bloodstream, and are again absorbed into the cytoplasm of certain cells muscle and skeletal primarily. They are likely to produce several effects; they may mask pain receptors, they increase the nitrogen absorption by muscles and "build up" the cells quicker, they often increase the tension of skeletal cells, and even allow the subject to gain weight quickly (Strauss, 1987, p. 61).
Nevertheless, steroids are not without serious side effects. Physically, they may damage the liver, resulting in jaundice, cysts, or tumors. They also may increase the risk of heart disease by raising blood pressure, decreasing cholesterol fighting protein, and placing undue stress on the heart muscle causing strokes or hea
...