The+Snowmen

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18299098

1.The debate over athletes' use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs has taken on newfound urgency in recent months. cm 2.A report by former Sen. George Mitchell, released in December, mentioned dozens of baseball players as having used steroids and described their use as "widespread." Track star Marion Jones pleaded guilty to lying to investigators about steroid use in October. 3.And last summer, several riders were dismissed from the Tour de France on charges of using banned substances. 4.Those who oppose the use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs say that the athletes who use them are breaking the rules and getting an unfair advantage over others. 5. Opponents of the drugs say the athletes are endangering not only their own health, but also indirectly encouraging youngsters to do the same. CM 6.Others maintain that it is hypocritical for society to encourage consumers to seek drugs to treat all sorts of ailments and conditions but to disdain drug use for sports. 7.They say the risk to athletes has been overstated and that the effort to keep them from using performance-enhancing drugs is bound to fail.Cm 8.Six experts on steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs recently took on the issue in an Oxford-style debate, part of the series // Intelligence Squared U.S. //9.The debates are modeled on a program begun in London in 2002: Three experts argue in favor of a proposition and three argue against. 10.In the latest debate, held on Jan. 15, the formal proposition was, "We should accept performance-enhancing drugs in competitive sports."CM  11.As the debate began, it was announced that former Olympics sprinter Ben Johnson, who was scheduled to argue in favor of allowing drugs, had pulled out on the advice of his lawyer because of his involvement in a lawsuit. 12.Johnson was stripped of his gold medal in the 1988 Olympics after testing positive for steroid The debate over athletes' use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs has taken on newfound urgency in recent months. cm 13.A report by former Sen. George Mitchell, released in December, mentioned dozens of baseball players as having used steroids and described their use as "widespread." Track star Marion Jones pleaded guilty to lying to investigators about steroid use in October. 14.And last summer, several riders were dismissed from the Tour de France on charges of using banned substances. 15.Those who oppose the use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs say that the athletes who use them are breaking the rules and getting an unfair advantage over others. 16. Opponents of the drugs say the athletes are endangering not only their own health, but also indirectly encouraging youngsters to do the same. cm 17.Others maintain that it is hypocritical for society to encourage consumers to seek drugs to treat all sorts of ailments and conditions but to disdain drug use for sports. 18. They say the risk to athletes has been overstated and that the effort to keep them from using performance-enhancing drugs is bound to fail. cm 19.Six experts on steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs recently took on the issue in an Oxford-style debate, part of the series // Intelligence Squared U.S. // 20.The debates are modeled on a program begun in London in 2002: Three experts argue in favor of a proposition and three argue against. cm 21.In the latest debate, held on Jan. 15, the formal proposition was, "We should accept performance-enhancing drugs in competitive sports." cm

22.In a vote before the debate, 18 percent of audience members supported the motion to accept performance-enhancing drugs in competitive sports, and 63 percent opposed it. Nineteen percent were undecided. After the debate, 37 percent of audience members agreed with the proposition. Fifty-nine percent opposed it, and 4 percent remained undecided cm President Bush, former owner of the Texas Rangers baseball team, called for pro sports leagues and athletes to set better examples for children and "get rid of steroids now."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/01/21/MNGTF4E9HH1.DTL 23.In particular, Bush referred to steroid use in Major League Baseball, which is implementing a new drug-testing policy next season, and the NFL, which has a program in place. 24."Unfortunately, some in professional sports are not setting much of an example," Bush said in his State of the Union address Tuesday night. 25. "The use of performance-enhancing drugs like steroids in baseball, football and other sports is dangerous, and it sends the wrong message -- that there are shortcuts to accomplishment and that performance is more important than character." 26.Bush urged owners, players, coaches and union officials to crack down on steroid use -- in fact, eliminate it altogether. "I strongly concur with the president on his position," 27. A's owner Steve Schott said after watching Bush's address. "It definitely sends the wrong message to young people who say, 'If superstars are taking them to perform better, why can't I?' Also, I don't feel good about some of these great records being shattered (by players taking steroids). 28."But more than anything is the health factor. Short-term enhancement could cause long-term harm to your health." 29.After 5 to 7 percent of big-leaguers tested positive for muscle-building drugs last season, MLB will penalize users for the first time as part of its new program. 30.However, the policy has been widely criticized for being soft; a one-year suspension isn't given until the fifth offense. Bush's comments came in the wake of an international doping scandal involving a nutritional supplement lab in Burlingame. 31. The Bay Area Laboratory C0-Operative listed Giants slugger Barry Bonds as one of its chief clients. Bonds set the single-season record for home runs in 2001 and ranks fourth on the all-time list. 32."As a former team owner, the president has an appreciation for what sports means to our youth, and that has a huge impact," said Giants Executive Vice President Larry Baer. "The Giants and all the clubs are strongly in favor of the toughest policies possible to ensure the integrity of the sport and health of the athletes." 33.Baseball's labor agreement will be in effect for three more years, so a tougher testing system couldn't be drawn up until 2007 without the mutual consent of Major League Baseball and the players' union. 34.The NFL has had a drug-testing program since 1990. 35."I don't know what impact it will have," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said of Bush's comments. "All I know is what we've done. ... We conduct more than 10,000 steroid tests a year and suspend players four games on the first positive test. And the program has the full support of our union." http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/sports/steroids.html What Are Steroids? ** 36.Steroids, sometimes referred to as roids, juice, hype, weight trainers, gym candy, arnolds, stackers, or pumpers, are the same as, or similar to, certain hormones in the body. 37.The body produces steroids naturally to support such functions as fighting stress and promoting growth and development. 38.But some people use steroid pills, gels, creams, or injections because they think steroids can improve their sports performance or the way they look. 40.There are more than 100 variations of anabolic steroids. The most powerful androgen is ** testosterone ** (pronounced: tess-** toss **-tuh-rone). 41.Although testosterone is mainly a mature male hormone, girls' bodies produce smaller amounts. Testosterone promotes the masculine traits that guys develop during puberty, such as deepening of the voice and growth of body hair. Testosterone levels can also affect how aggressive a person is. 42.Athletes sometimes take anabolic steroids because of their testosterone-like effects. 43.Another group of steroids, sometimes called ** steroidal supplements **, contains dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and/or androstenedione (also known as andro). For the most part, steroidal supplements, which used to be found at health food stores or gyms, are now illegal and require a prescription. DHEA is one of the few exceptions and can still be bought over the counter. 44.Steroid supplements are weaker forms of androgen. Their effects aren't well known, but it's thought that, when taken in large doses, they cause effects similar to other androgens like testosterone. Here's what // is // known about steroidal supplements: 45.Companies that manufacture them often use false claims and very little is known about the long-term effects some of these substances have on the body. That’s one reason why the government took action to protect citizens by passing laws controlling steroid distribution. 47.Anabolic steroids stimulate muscle tissue to grow and "bulk up" in response to training by mimicking the effect of naturally produced testosterone on the body. 48. Anabolic steroids can remain in the body anywhere from a couple of days to about a year. Steroids have become popular because they may improve endurance, strength, and muscle mass. However, research has not shown that steroids improve skill, agility, or athletic performance. 49.Anabolic steroids cause many different types of problems. Some of the more serious or long-lasting side effects are: 68. pain when urinating 71.Steroids can also have serious psychological side effects. Some users become aggressive or combative, developing "roid rage" — extreme, uncontrolled bouts of anger caused by long-term steroid use. 72.Steroid users who inject the drugs with a needle are at risk for infection with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), the virus that causes AIDS, if they share needles with other users. People who use dirty needles are also at greater risk for contracting hepatitis, a disease of the liver, or bacterial endocarditis, an infection of the inner lining of the heart. 73.Some people combine or "stack" anabolic steroids with other drugs. Other steroid users may "pyramid" or "cycle" their steroid doses, starting with a low dose of stacked drugs and then periodically increasing and decreasing the dosage of the steroid, which users believe helps their bodies recuperate from the drugs. 74.Because even scientists don't understand exactly how steroids interact with each other or possibly cause reactions to other medications, it's possible that a person who stacks or cycles steroids can take a deadly combination. Emergency departments have reported cases of vomiting, tremors, dizziness, and even coma (unconsciousness) when patients were admitted after taking combinations of steroids. 75.A lot of people tell themselves they'll only use steroids for a season or a school year. Unfortunately, steroids can be addictive, making it hard to stop taking them. 76.Steroid users can spend lots of time and money trying to get the drugs. And once users stop taking steroids, they're at risk of developing irritability, paranoia, and severe depression, which may lead to suicidal thoughts or attempted suicide. Some of the long-term effects of steroids may not show up for many years. People who use steroids also appear to be at higher risk for using other drugs, such as alcohol or cocaine. 77.You may have heard of something called Human Growth Hormone, or hGH, in relation to sports supplements and maybe even related to steroids. Like steroids, hGH is only legal when prescribed by a doctor for a medical condition. Doctors prescribe hGH for people whose bodies don't naturally make enough growth hormone, a condition known as growth hormone deficiency. 78.However, recent trends show an increase in growth hormone being abused as an athletic supplement. 79.A lot of myths surround hGH and its effects on athletes. As with steroids, there is absolutely no evidence that growth hormone helps to improve athletic performance. Here are some risks you should be aware of: 85.Anabolic steroids are controversial in the sports world because of the health risks associated with them and their unproven performance benefits. Most are illegal and are banned by professional sports organizations and medical associations. As seen in the high-profile cases, if an athlete is caught using steroids, his or her career can be destroyed. 86.When it comes right down to it, harming your body or getting disqualified aren't smart ways to try to improve your athletic performance. 87.Being a star athlete means training the healthy way: [|eating the right foods], practicing, and [|strength training] without the use of drugs.
 * 39.Anabolic steroids ** are artificially produced hormones that are the same as, or similar to, ** androgens **, the male-type sex hormones in the body.
 * How Do Anabolic Steroids Work? **
 * Dangers of Steroids **
 * 50. premature balding or hair loss
 * 51.dizziness
 * 52.mood swings, including anger, aggression, and depression
 * 53.believing things that aren't true (delusion)
 * 54.extreme feelings of mistrust or fear (paranoia)
 * 55.problems sleeping
 * 56.nausea and vomiting
 * 57.trembling
 * 58.high blood pressure that can damage the heart or blood vessels over time
 * 59.aching joints
 * 60.greater chance of injuring muscles and tendons
 * 61.jaundice or yellowing of the skin; liver damage
 * 61.urinary problems
 * 62.shortening of final adult height
 * 63.increased risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer
 * Specific risks for girls associated with anabolic steroids include: **
 * 64.increased facial hair growth
 * 65.development of masculine traits, such as deepening of the voice, and loss of feminine body characteristics,
 * 67.menstrual cycle changes
 * Specific risks for guys include: **
 * 69 breast development
 * 70.sterility (inability to have children)
 * Steroids: Stacking and Addiction **
 * What Is Human Growth Hormone? **
 * 80.Any type of hGH that is not obtained by prescription is not regulated by the government and could be almost anything.
 * 81.If you buy what may be called "growth hormone," "growth stimulators," or "growth factors" online, it's likely they're not really hGH.
 * 82.Many websites claim to be selling growth hormone, but they're really selling amino acids that don't significantly increase growth hormone levels in your body.
 * 83.If the false claims of performance benefits from hGH don't bother you, the price probably will — $5,000 for a month's prescription, meaning that the street value for just a month could run anywhere from $5,000–$10,000.
 * 84.Because growth hormone can only be injected, like some steroids, there's a risk of contracting HIV or other diseases (like hepatitis) if people share needles.
 * Strong ** Alternatives to Steroids