Wrestling season has begun for GBHS! While wrestling is a well-known sport across the country, it’s also common for the athletes of the said sport to use steroids as an attempt to have an unfair advantage on an opponent. You hear about WWE stars getting busted for steroid use so much it’s casual, but are people forgetting or just not paying attention to what steroids can do to their bodies? It’s time to get educated.

Steroids are famously known for the positives they may bring to the users body, such as that they improve athletic ability, allow athletes to lose weight, improve strength and performance, increases visual appearance, and increases strength ability. That’s a lot of positives! Why would anyone not want to inject the synthetic variant into their body?

Here’s why. Although steroids are prescribed by doctors to patients who might have anemia, don’t produce enough testosterone, or to reduce swelling, it’s not a pill/injection that should be taken as lightly as it is.

Steroid abuse can cause liver damage, liver cancer, organ damage, psychological defects, hormonal changes, infertility, torn tendons, enlarged breasts in men, facial hair in women, aggression, damaged veins, hair loss, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, high blood pressure, arching joints, Jaundice, heart disease and more.

Big risks to participating in steroid abuse as a student athlete aside from the physical include suspension and/or expulsion from the sport and a large risk of being turned in and arrested because not prescribed steroid use is illegal. Head coach of the wrestling team, Mr. Broekleman says “If I found out one of my wrestlers was participating in steroid abuse, By school handbook I would have to turn them in, but I would also privately confront them and try to get them some help.”