preview

Anabolic Steroids History

Decent Essays

Performance enhancing drugs, specifically steroids, have a long history in sports and the United States. As a research shows while the first unofficial anabolic steroid was produced in 1935 (isolated testosterone), it wasn’t until 1936 that its use became popularized as a way to enhance athletic performance. German athletes were rumored to have used this testosterone in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, but the lack of documentation as well as well known Nazi anti-steroid sentiment has made it difficult to verify such claims (Yesalis, 2000, p.52). It is this sentiment that began the early stages of the modern “anti-steroid epidemic,” with the belief that athletes should be successful due to inherent talent (in the Nazi ideal, genetic fitness), not medicinal enhancement. Despite some public dissatisfaction, Soviet …show more content…

Based on this and other researches The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the Ad Council launched a multi-year public awareness campaign "Don't Be an Asterisk" focused on teen steroid use in August of 2008. The campaign's goal was to raise awareness about the national issue of illegal performance-enhancing drugs both within and outside of sport. The campaign conveys the urgency of the abuse in an effort to shift teens’ perception and image around steroid use. The campaign is geared to show teens and other age groups that illegal steroid use can only lead to a harmful and embarrassing end. Additionally, teens need to fully understand the dangers health risks associated with steroids and other performance-enhancing substances. The main message is "When you take steroids, there's no hiding it. Eventually, everyone will see you for what you really are. A

Get Access