| It has been a proven fact that many young | | | | workouts. |
| bodybuilders, within the age range of 18-22 are using | | | | The main point here is that even if the evidence is |
| performance-enhancing drugs. While many of these | | | | anecdotal (or from interviews), the potential dangers |
| drugs are not illegal in the United States and other | | | | remain. Empirical proof need not always be the basis |
| countries per se, it remains to be seen whether | | | | of spotting the danger signs. |
| long-term effects would be beneficial. | | | | For a long time now, medical science has been |
| Common drug | | | | dependent on anecdotal evidence even for the |
| Often, undergraduate bodybuilders use | | | | discovery of new forms of medicine. Biological |
| performance-enhancing drugs to improve their | | | | prospecting for one would not be possible without the |
| workouts and to increase their mass building. The | | | | use of anecdotal data. |
| pressure to be more than fit is a key indicator that this | | | | Causes |
| trend will continue. | | | | According to the researchers, the use of steroids and |
| The most commonly used substance is creatinine, | | | | other similar substances to enhance bodybuilding may |
| which fortunately has not shown any deadly side | | | | have a psychological precession: |
| effects. However, medical science points at a peculiar | | | | “Research on steroid use suggests that |
| truth about building: the body should be allowed to build | | | | psychological variables may be important. Lovstakken, |
| mass and strength on its own. | | | | Peterson and Homer (1999) found some positive |
| Potentially harmful effects | | | | expectations of the effects of steroids associated |
| According to David M. Williams, Eileen S. Anderson, | | | | with higher risk of steroid use, and negative social |
| Richard E. Winett, researchers for the Journal of Sport | | | | expectations associated with lower risk of steroid use |
| Behavior: | | | | among college students.” |
| “Creatine may be a gateway drug to other more | | | | Because of the perceived causes of increased use, |
| harmful performance enhancing substances such as | | | | some researchers have made it a point to actually |
| dehydroepiandrosterone (i.e., DHEA) and | | | | intervene. Williams, et alia, continue: |
| androstenedione.” | | | | “Goldberg et al. (1996) used a psycho-educational |
| “Numerous anecdotal accounts illustrate adverse | | | | intervention to decrease intentions to use steroids and |
| side effects, such as kidney dysfunction, effects on | | | | increase resistance-training self-efficacy in male high |
| the body's creatine and insulin production, diarrhea, | | | | school athletes.” |
| gastrointestinal pain, muscle cramping, and | | | | Intervention and critical insight |
| dehydration.” | | | | The researchers stated that there must always be a |
| “Although laboratory studies of creatine's efficacy | | | | critical eye on the variables that link together social |
| are numerous,field studies of creatine supplementation | | | | expectations and bodybuilding. A usable theoretical |
| patterns have been scarce. This is especially true | | | | framework for such inquiry is as follows: |
| among young, male, resistance trainers, who are the | | | | “Social cognitive theory provides a useful theoretical |
| target of marketing strategies that emphasize | | | | framework for understanding creatine use by |
| creatine's ability to increase body mass.” | | | | addressing its specific behavioral, personal, and |
| Like all performance-enhancing drugs, the most | | | | environmental influences.” |
| commonly used drug seems to have its own set of | | | | “That is, self-efficacy and outcome expectancies |
| bad effects. For one, creatinine affects the way | | | | specifically related to the use of creatine can help us |
| energy is stored and used. Second, it affects the | | | | understand why some resistance trainers use creatine |
| amount of protein used and expended during | | | | while others do not. |