Genesee County Health Department

Better Life Through Better Health

Student athletes often feel the pressure of performing well in sports. Eager to excel, some use anabolic steroids or the food supplement creatine to enhance their performance.

Anabolic steroids are synthetic hormones used to develop muscle strength. Steroid use can result in many physical problems, including:

• For men: impotence, premature baldness, prostate enlargement, breast enlargement, and difficulty/pain in urinating
• For women: excess facial hair, changes in menstruation, voice deepening, and breast reduction
• For children and teens: damage to growth areas at the ends of bones, permanently stunting growth
• For all: severe acne, weakened tendons, jaundice, trembling, swelling of the feet/ankles, high blood pressure, irritability, uncontrollable bursts of anger, severe mood swings, delusions and paranoid jealousy

The nonmedical use and distribution of steroids is now a felony in Michigan and steroid use has declined. Still some athletes use steroids as a fast road to success. If detected they can cause expulsion from athletic competition.

Many student athletes are taking creatine, an over–the-counter supplement. An amino acid that naturally occurs in the body and high protein foods, creatine is part of a chemical process that provides energy for muscles to perform bursts of intense activity. However, the long-term effects of taking increased amounts of creatine in supplements are unknown. Many doctors worry about the effects on teenagers, whose bones and muscles are still growing. Some creatine users experience side effects, including muscle sprains, nausea, stomach upset, dizziness, weakness, loose stools, or diarrhea. With a healthy diet and good training, teens should not need dietary supplements to become the best athletes they can be.

For more information, call the Genesee County Health Department at 810-257-3612.