In the past three decades, steroids have become a serious problem in the athletic field. The demand for it has increased within recent years and the prices shot up since the mid-1980's. The smuggling of steroids into the United States increases every year. The methods have become easy. Simple methods such as stashing it inside a teddy bear, sneaking it across the Mexican border inside shampoo bottles have worked. These type of steroids are anabolic drugs that build growth hormones that include testosterone, which are the male sex hormones that improve performance. Testosterone in the male is produced mainly in the testes and a small amount is produced in the adrenal. It is synthesized from cholesterol. Once steroids enter the body, the hypothalamus part of the brain produces gonadotrophin releasing hormone which acts on the anterior pituitary gland to increase the production of luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone. Luteinizing hormones acts on Leydig cells in the testis to regulate the production and maturation of spermatoza. This produces the testosterone which acts on the hypothalamus and anterior pituitay to supress the production of GnRH, FSH, and LH. Which produces a negative feedback mechanism. The small amount produced in the adrenal is regulated by secretion of adrenal corticotrophic hormone, also secreted by the pituitary.Not all steroids are bad. Some steroids are used to treat inflammatory disorders, strengthen weakened hearts, prevent conception, and alleviate symptoms of arthritis and asthma. Those are called cortico steroids and are taken in low dosages. The steroids used by athletes are mostly androgenic steroids. Androgenic steroids act like testosterone and are the steroids that are commonly abused. Steroids can be injected or taken orally. Androgenic steroids have a fairly limited use in medicine. They are effective in males with testicular failure and are occationally used in osteoporos...
