BCBSA news release on 'Doping'

[Bill Glasheen]

(BCBSA Testifies Before Congress on Dangers of 'Doping')

(Washington) -- The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association testified
Wednesday before the Senate Committee on Committee, Science and
Transportation about the public health dangers of performance-enhancing drug
use in athletic competition, according to a BCBSA news release.

"The use of performance-enhancing drugs has reached crisis proportions --
threatening the health of thousands of young Americans," said Scott Serota,
BCBSA executive vice president and chief operating officer. "While this
hearing focuses only on elite athletics, Blue Cross and Blue Shield is
focusing our Healthy Competition Campaign on protecting the health of our
young athletes who are emulating our sports heroes and taking these harmful
substances."

"Our research demonstrates that doping is a major problem among teens,"
Serota noted. The National Institute of Drug Abuse estimates that more than
500,000 children -- 175,000 teen-age girls and 325,000 teen-age boys -- have
used steroids during the past year.

"Further, we found a significant knowledge gap about this problem among both
parents and their children. According to our research, 1 in 4 young people
personally know someone who uses these drugs. And, while two-thirds of kids
said their parents are aware of performance-enhancing drug use by young
people, less than one-third said their parents have actually talked to them
about the dangers of these drugs."

The Healthy Competition Foundation, founded by the Blue Cross and Blue
Shield organization, is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to public
education about the dangers of using performance-enhancing drugs in athletic
competition -- a practice also known as doping. The foundation is reaching
out to America's young people through public events, grassroots activism,
public service announcements and the World Wide Web.

Legendary marathon gold medalist Frank Shorter, who serves on the
foundation's board of directors, called for elite athletes to take a
stronger stance against doping.

"We urge the International Olympic Committee to establish a truly
independent anti-doping agency and to unify drug testing standards around
the world," Shorter said. "In addition to preserving the health of elite
athletes, strong action by the IOC is essential because these athletes have
tremendous visibility and serve as role models for millions of young people
around the world."

To obtain more information, visit www.healthycompetition.org or contact John
Lazarou at 202.383.9793. (BCBSA news release)

[Bill Glasheen]

J.D. san

No statistics. Here is a summary from Kulund in The Injured Athlete <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote

Even though some athletes have been fortunate, taking doses [of anabolic Steroids] up to 300 mg per day for 2 years without apparent ill effects, jaundice, raised liver enzyme levels, gastrointestinal bleeding, prostatic blockage, sex drive changes, low sperm counts, and fatal primary tumors of the liver are among the dangerous side-effects known to be associated with these drugs. They may stunt the growth of youths by prematurely closing their growth plates. Unfortunately, many female weightlifters and female athletes in strength sports are now taking anabolic steroids. These women may develop permanent vocal cord alterations as well as hirsutism and acne while risking the more serious side-effects of reproductive system dysfunction and, in cases of pregnancy, genital malformations in the developing fetus.

Add to that the known and very common side-effect of gynecomastia in men - one that gives a lot of extra revenue to a few California plastic surgeons.

- Bill

[David Elkins]

Strength enhancing drugs are a very real problem in sports (and on the street.) I made some off the wall comments in "How about this sports fans" on Lori Sensei's forum.

There are several aspects of the problem that aren't frequently discussed. One of these is the psychological addictiveness of these drugs as well as the well known psychological effects. I don't really know what to call the second problem but it has to do with the mentality of the users in dosing/reporting their practices.

1) There is absolutely no question that steroids work when work is defined as augmentation of strength, decreasing pain tolerance, and promoting muscular hypertrophy. Anyone who refutes these facts has never used nor have they particpated in the strength culture long enough to have a valid baseline of observations. Unfortunately tendon strength doesn't keep pace with the muscles and athletes frequently end up with biceps that look like an old window shade that's been pulled down and let go. This is only one of the negative consequences.

The effects of use are significantly addictive. Many users realize that they are severely compromising their health (i.e., diagnosed hypertension) yet are unable to stop because of the primary and secondary gains of useage. By secondary gains I mean things like being (or thinking one is) the baddest dude on the block, the mood elevating quality of the drugs, and the obvious body image issues.

The second problem is that users typically (even when monitored medically or by coaches) overuse. If one did this imagine what two will do. Thus, even those persons nominally in a "caring" role have no idea what the athlete is using. That's the first part of this problem--the second being that rarely do users accurately report their use patterns. I've heard well known athletes who "came out--or were "outed" state "if they really knew what I used it would blow their minds."

I've only been talking about athletes. When one reasons that much of the use now is by non athletes who have even less knowledge and or "common sense" [folk wisdom] regarding the drugs the picture gets even scarier.

Finally, the drugs contribute to further eroding the character of sport in this country taking work ethic, honesty, and equity further and further out of the picture.

How many drug using youngsters know the feeling of pride and accomplishment involved in breaking a sticking point in progress that they've struggled with for six months?

The sport of powerlifting is all but bankrupt due to strength enhancing drugs and space age lifting gear.

Another brick in the wall of the ever expanding gulf between a class of professional athletes and citizen couch potatoes.

Good on you Bill for bringing your little ones to the dojo!

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Good training,
David