вторник, 16 октября 2012 г.

Authorities should not allow steroid dealers to avoid imprisonment


Although it is illegal to sell anabolic steroids in several countries, several steroid dealers are not sanctioned properly. For example, lately two persons that sold steroids illegally avoided imprisonment. They were sentenced just to work several hours. Although these individuals advertised and sold steroids online, they avoided imprisonment successfully. These individuals sold preparations that could affect health of consumers. That’s why they had to be punished more harshly.
A lot of users of steroids don’t know anything about dangers related to them. They don’t know that application of steroids may lead to some health problems. It is important to take in consideration that certain steroids are aromatizable. It means that they may convert into estrogen, increasing levels of this hormone. As a result, male users of such steroids may experience abnormal development of breast tissues, abnormal fat distribution, water retention, etc. Of course, gynecomastia is very unpleasant effect for men. Sometimes it can’t be cured with medications. So, it may require an operation.
Several steroids are dangerous for females. They may cause signs of virilization in them. Thus, certain females that apply androgenic steroids have deep voice, hirsutism, male-pattern baldness, menstrual abnormalities, infertility, etc.
A lot of steroids may influence on liver negatively. They may lead to liver disorders. If anyone has had liver problems before intake of steroids, these drugs may lead to more serious complications.
Nonetheless, no one can doubt about positive effects which can be obtained owing to usage of steroids. These medicines induce creating new muscle tissues. They also enhance existing muscles. Furthermore, these products help to gain strength. Several steroids induce fat loss, making muscle more distinctive.
However possible positive effects of steroids are great, it is necessary to consider potential undesirable consequences. It is confirmed that steroids may cause depression and abnormal aggressiveness. Thus, some consumers of these drugs commit various crimes. While several users may commit suicides, others violate, kill other individuals.
Steroids may cause also other negative reactions that are not mentioned in the article. People should know what they take. Those who distribute these medications illegally should be punished appropriately.

понедельник, 8 октября 2012 г.

Football is unlikely to be free from doping


Numerous articles report about application of steroids in baseball. Sportswriters and journalists describe steroid scandals which occur in this sport. It is often debated about steroid era in baseball. MLB players are required to submit to numerous drug tests. It seems that every person interested in sports blames baseball players for administration of doping products. Do only baseball players administer steroids and other related medicines? What do you think about football players? Don’t they dope? Why do we blame just baseball players for administration of forbidden drugs?
Doping is widespread among football players. Since 1960s intake of performance-enhancing drugs plays a significant role in this sport. It is impossible to imagine football without administration of steroids and other related products.
Strength and size are important features in football. Some persons consider that football players have great strength only because of hard trainings and proper diets. But it is a wrong opinion. Numerous football players take forbidden medications in order to add strength and induce increasing muscle size.
As you see, application of forbidden medications is widespread among football players. Nonetheless, baseball players are more harshly criticized for administration of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs. Such baseball players, as Jose Canseco, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds were exposed to public shame because of doping. But such football players, as Lyle Alzado, Shawne Merriman, Chris Cooper and Thomas Romanowski, also used forbidden substances. Nevertheless, they were not so widely demonized, as dopers in baseball.
Moreover, it is necessary to consider that intake of steroids is linked with more risks in football.
It is claimed that football is unlikely to be cleaned from doping.

Teens should be informed that steroids may damage their systems because they are still developing


Adolescents’ addiction to anabolic steroids becomes a significant problem nowadays. Why do teenagers administer these medicines? They do it in order to enhance their muscles, lower fat deposits and add density to muscles. They desire to make their bodies more attractive. Actually, teens apply these medicines because they want to look like models, sports stars and heroes. Since teens want to be celebrated so, as well-known sportspersons are, they put efforts to improve their physique and performance with anabolic steroids.
But adolescents don’t consider certain important aspects under this circumstance. Firstly, professional sportspersons and bodybuilders ask specialists for guidelines. So, physicians explain how they should use steroids. That’s why usage of anabolic steroids by famous sportspersons is relatively safe. When it comes to teenagers, they don’t know what they use; they don’t know how steroids should be applied. Secondly, the process of development is not over in teenagers. That’s why steroids may be dangerous for them. Anabolic steroids may destruct functions of reproductive, cardiovascular and other systems in teenagers.
Unfortunately, a lot of teens administer anabolic steroids. Some surveys of the Michigan University display that the number of steroid users in high schools continues to grow.
Furthermore, it is not a problem to buy these preparations. High schools students buy steroids without significant efforts.
As a result, certain teenagers become addicted to steroids. While certain teens try to discontinue taking these medications, they can’t do it. In fact, it is quite difficult to get rid of this addiction. Addicted steroid users can’t stop administering these preparations without help of high-qualified specialists. They should stay in special centers of rehabilitation where well-trained experts help them to escape from the addiction.
It is necessary to teach adolescents about dangers linked with anabolic steroids. Teenagers must be aware not only of benefits of these products. They should be educated also about adverse reactions of these medicines. If schoolchildren and high school students are not informed about dark sides of steroids, they will use these substances. Ultimately, their systems will be destructed. If the society doesn’t care about teenagers, they will experience many health problems.

среда, 3 октября 2012 г.

New tools elaborated by anti-doping agencies


While athletes that dope find new methods to remain undetectable, anti-doping officers create new techniques in order to catch those who administer forbidden medications. One of new tools introduced into anti-doping system is biological passport. It helps to set whether an athlete has applied any banned substance. The biological passport measures some biomarkers that may indicate whether an individual has applied certain medicines. So, it can measure hemoglobin levels. Unexplained low or increased hemoglobin levels may indicate doping. So, the biological passport sets physical changes that play great role in detection.
It is clear that anti-doping policy becomes more progressive. It creates new ways to catch dopers and make sports free from doping.
If you compare drug tests that have been utilized earlier with those that are used today, you may see that the difference is great. Anti-doping efforts are essential. Drug testing becomes more advanced.
It was also developed a test for detection of CERA. This drug was initially developed in order to cure anemia related to kidney diseases. Since earlier there was not any drug test that could determine metabolites of this substance, Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain could avoid detection at the Beijing Olympics. Recently his sample was re-tested by this new test. Anti-doping officials defined that this athlete had administered CERA. As a result, Rashid Ramzi was stripped of his awards.
Earlier it was difficult and even quite impossible to catch those who took HGH. Recently a blood test for this medication was also elaborated.
Another new drug test, known as Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry, was also recently elaborated. This test helps to set whether testosterone has been administered from outsides or it has been secreted in the body naturally.
So, anti-doping system is more advanced nowadays. Anti-doping officials hope that they will be capable to clean sports from administration of doping products.

Fight against doping should be stopped


Lance Armstrong never tested positive for any forbidden substance. But he was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles because the USADA accused him of doping.
You can notice that intake of prohibited preparations is claimed to be a last sin of professional sportspersons. They are banned, if they are found guilty or only suspected of doping.
For example, the British sprinter Dwain Chambers was suspended because he tested positive for tetrahydrogestrinone. This sportsperson affirmed that he was not the only Olympic  runner that used steroids. According to his affirmations, many sprinters of the US racing team took forbidden substances.
Some individuals are probably bothered by reading articles about fight against administration of forbidden products in sports. It seems that the war never ends. However anti-doping agencies put great efforts in order to eradicate doping from competitive sports, many athletes continue administering prohibited products. It is impossible to confront doping. It seems that it is better to legalize application of performance-enhancing drugs. Let athletes apply whatever they desire!
Sportspeople break greater records from one year to another. It will be needed to measure thousandths of a second in order to define who the winner is. It seems that it will be impossible to determine with a naked eye the fastest runners. That’s why some experts fear that it will be too difficult to keep sports interesting.
Several experts recognize that anti-doping systems fail. Athletes that have never tested positive for any prohibited preparation are sentenced to lifetime suspensions. Drug tests can’t promote catching those that administer steroids and/or other doping products.
Doping plays a great role in sports. Almost every winner of Tour de France has been involved in a doping case.
Fans have great expectations. Sportspersons have to push their bodies till the limits in order to win. They have to apply steroids and/or other performance-enhancing drugs in order to keep their reputations and not disappoint fans. The society should be blamed for athletes’ doping. Not only athletes should be demonized for usage of prohibited medicines. The society makes such culture where sportspersons can’t prosper without intake of certain preparations. That’s why it is necessary to discontinue demonizing athletes. It is better to permit doping in sports. Every sport must compose own list of forbidden medicines. Only substances that are harmful to certain sport itself should be banned. Let take the sport of boxing as an example. This sport must prohibit just those drugs which withdraw fear because removing of fear in this sport is against its nature.

вторник, 2 октября 2012 г.

Positive influence of steroid scandals on profits of pharmaceutical companies


One may think that steroid scandals must have negative influence on pharmaceutical companies that produce these medicines. But manufacturers of these medications find ways to take advantages of certain steroid scandals. Thus, pharmaceutical companies utilize them in order to advertise own products.
Let take as an example the doping case related to Barry Bonds. However one may suggest that this steroid scandal must suppress purchase of some products, the reality has displayed opposite things. The pharmaceutical company Abbott Laboratories could avail itself of the case. The company found a lot of opportunities to promote selling transdermal testosterone because of the accusations linked with Barry Bonds’ doping.
It was stated that the former MLB player Barry Bonds applied the testosterone gel “AndroGel”. Of course, a lot of journalists published news about this case. The pharmaceutical company Abbott Laboratories used this public fight and started to advertise this product. Many Barry Bonds’ fans started purchasing and applying this gel. This situation influenced on profits of Abbot Laboratories essentially. According to certain sources, the profits of Abbott Laboratories turned out to be great.
Testosterone products are widely recommended and taken. Numerous people administer them for hormone replacement therapy. The number of steroid prescriptions has enhanced by 90 % during last five years. So, the number of those that take steroids is growing.
The pharmaceutical company Abbott Laboratories manufactures and sells the transdermal testosterone product “AndroGel”. Since other companies noticed that testosterone gel was in high demand, they also began to produce it. Thus, such preparations, as  AndroDream and Axiron, appeared. While AndroDream is produced by Watson Pharmaceuticals, Axiron is manufactured by Eli Lilly.
Pharmaceutical companies advertise their preparations. They claim that steroids improve males’ health. It goes without any saying that any company comprehends that since numerous males have testosterone deficiency and since these medicines are effective for increase of muscles and endurance, the number of potential customers is great.

Should persons with mild-to-moderate asthma use inhaled corticosteroids daily?


Inhaled steroids are preparations which are administered in case of asthma by kids and adults. Individuals that suffer from mild, moderate and severe asthma apply these preparations every day. These preparations prevent inflammation of the airways. Physicians supervise patients with this disease, adjusting dosage schedule every 6 weeks.
Unfortunately, inhaled corticosteroids, like other preparations, may lead to side reactions. Regular administration of these drugs is associated with some risks. Is there any method for individuals with asthma to prevent these problems?
A recent research has displayed that prescribers should not recommend administering these medications daily to persons with mild-to-moderate asthma. This research turned out to be very valuable. It is likely to alter guidelines linked with treatment of asthma.
The study was conducted by specialists of the Texas Medical Brach in Galveston. The physician William Calhoun and his colleagues enrolled 340 persons with asthma in the study. Certain individuals received inhaled steroids every day; others took these medicines, when symptoms of asthma attacks appeared. Bronchial reactivity and functions of lungs were measured by the specialists during nine months. The results of the research demonstrated that there was not any essential difference between these two groups.
According to the scientists, if inhaled steroids are used, when symptoms appear, exacerbation can be prevented. Furthermore, these medicines have prolonged action. It means that positive effects are felt even several days after usage. The scientists suggest that these drugs may be used by persons with mild-to-moderate asthma only when symptoms appear.
Why is this research valuable? According to certain sources, 25 million Americans experience asthma. Undoubtedly, they should be treated. This piece of news must be valuable for them. Furthermore, if inhaled corticosteroids are taken prolonged period of time, they may cause severe adverse consequences, such as hormonal imbalance, cataract, etc. So, if individuals that experience mild-to-moderate asthma don’t apply these drugs every day, they are more unlikely to get these negative results.
Of course, it is early to change indications linked with treatment of asthma. But this study may promote conducting further researches which may lead to several changes.