"Anything of value or value in life must be worked for." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson In today's world of sports, the use of anabolic/androgenic steroids is a vast problem. Since its introduction into Russian weightlifting, it has expanded with no sign of stopping. It has spread to all major sports, with use by all ages and races. Use continues to grow, even with a long list of serious health, legal and ethical concerns. Because of our society's worship of muscles, athletes place their athletic goals higher on their priority list than their long-term health. From Hulk Hogan to Arnold Schwarzenegger, our heroes all fit the superhuman mold. The government has tried various laws and programs to reduce their use, but these programs have had little or no effect. It has become one of the biggest problems in organized sport, but it doesn't get the right attention. Steroid use has become an epidemic and something must be done to stop it. Anabolic/androgenic steroids are synthetic variants of the natural hormone testosterone (James 7). At its naturally produced levels, testosterone is very good. In males, it helps promote protein anabolism (building), stimulates sperm production, and has metabolic effects on muscles, bones, and skin (Goldman 72). Anabolic steroids are used medically to treat types of anemia, some breast cancers, osteoporosis, endometriosis, and hereditary angioedema (NIDA 2). But anabolic steroids are often taken at doses 10 to 100 times higher than natural physiological levels by athletes seeking a training edge (Yesalis xxv). Steroids come in two basic forms: water-based and oil-based. Water-based ones are taken in pill form. The most common oral steroid, by far, is Dianabol or "D... middle of paper... Goldman, Bob and Ronald Klatz. Death In The Locker Room II: Drugs and Sports. Chicago: Elite Sports Medicine, 1992 James, Michael. "Steroids: Bulk Up, Up." High School Sports, February 1989: 18-22. SIRS, Vol. 3, Article 64. National Institute on Drug Abuse Steroids: A Threat to the Body and the mind." NIDA: Research Paper Series 1991: 1-9. SIRS "Drugs", vol. 5, article 21." O'Brien, David and Robbie Andreu. Rx for Disaster." Sun-Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) July 14, 1991: 1C+. SIRS "Drugs", vol. 5, Article 31.Schrof, Joannie M. "Pumped Up." US News and World Report June 1, 1992: 54+. SIRS "Drugs", vol. 5, article 52.Silverstein, Robert, et al Sport and exercise. Pennsylvania State University: Human Kinetics, 1993.