I've Read That a Little Wine Can be Healthy

[Guru of Nothing]

So why the disdain for steroids? Sure, Lyle Alzado died for his abuse of steroids, but alchoholics die in far greater numbers, and with far worse pain.

Really, I'm a neophyte to the steroid subject, but, what little common sense I have SCREAMS that all the hysteria over steroids is tangential.

I don't take steroids, but I think they offer significant benefits to an athlete, more than just simple muscle mass. If I'm a moron for wondering this aloud, then call me out on it, but doesn't all the extra muscle protect the skeletal system (thinking football here)? That said, bulking up for the sake of bulking up is not a good thing. I'll buy any arguments that steroids should not be used by high-schoolers, kind of like alcohol, but why not adults commited to fitness?[worth mentioning that steroids are worthless to people who do not work out, from a fitness perspective].

I think people who used steroids in the 70s/80s were fools who played with fire, but, the price that they paid paved the road for intelligent use of steroids in the 21st century.

I just don't see a compelling argument against the use of steroids, when compared against alcohol and store-bought cholesterol.

[CommanderMcBragg]

My wife used to wine all the time. I guess that's why she's now my ex-wife.

[Jimcs50]

GON, steroids will shrink your nuts up to the size of raisins.

[Guru of Nothing]

steroids will shrink your nuts up to the size of raisins.

Then I could go play for the redskins.

[MsMcGillyCutty]

For me a little wine leads to a healthy sex life.

[exstatic]

David Boston. 'Nuff said. He turned from a normal sized wide receiver to a 6'2" 258 lb. freak. It's no conincidence that he is now on IR. That much additional muscle doesn't protect the skeleton, it stresses it.

In addition, steriods have been linked closely to cancer, cause sexual dysfunction, and lead to this little itty bitty thing called 'roid rage, where you could kill someone, yet be sorry about it in 5 seconds.

http://phinfever.com/dolphins/captioned_DavidBoston.jpg

[timvp]

Steroids cause a lot of injuries. Whenever you hear of a player with chronic pulled muscles or muscle strains, that is a definite sign of steroid use. Steroids also make healing from muscle injuries more difficult (See: McGwire, Mark).

In addition to what exstatic said, it almost always causes some level of kidney disease.

[DuffMcCartney]

If I was any professional athlete...taking steroids would definitely be part of my daily routine.

[Tommy Duncan]

I understood Guru to be reflecting on the disproportionate amount of criticism of steroid abuse versus alcohol abuse. I would have to agree. To me it's akin to the number of people who want to tell you that weed is bad yet they are drunk off their ass every weekend.

The cost of alcohol abuse in our society, in financial and emotional terms, is huge relative to most other forms of substance abuse.

[Guru of Nothing]

Steroids cause a lot of injuries. Whenever you hear of a player with chronic pulled muscles or muscle strains, that is a definite sign of steroid use. Steroids also make healing from muscle injuries more difficult (See: McGwire, Mark).

In addition to what exstatic said, it almost always causes some level of kidney disease.


Again, I am no subject-matter expert, but I thought one of the ways in which steroid users gain mass is through more intense, and more frequent, workouts, which they can do because they have faster post-workout muscle recovery.

As for kidney disease, are steroids any worse than the pain-killers athletes consume?

Really, I was just wondering aloud. It's not like I'm thinking of taking them myself, but I want to form a more enlightened opinion of atletes who do use them. I think general public reacts negatively (overreacts?) based on conditions from 20 years ago, or worse, myths and old wives tales. (Haha!, just thought of a name for a web porn site - oldwivestail.com).

And as Tommy highlighted, abuse of any drug is bad, so, if I may rephrase my question, are there *safe* levels of steroids which athletes can use?

Regardless, steroid use will only increase.