An Iowa man gave his 14-year old son some methandrostenolone tablets and a syringe. The father confessed to providing his teenage son with steroids to help “motivate” him for high school sports. Todd Anthony Gerleman was arrested by Black Hawk County Sheriff’s deputies for distributing a controlled substance to a minor after the steroids were discovered when the son physically assaulted his mother. It is difficult to understand why anyone would give their children anabolic steroids during critical developmental periods when endogenous hormone production is already optimal. And why would Gerleman give his son a syringe for oral steroids?!! (”Mason City man arrested, allegedly gave son steroids,” January 13).

The father “admitted to bringing the needle and pills from his residence … and supplying them to ‘motivate’ his son about sports,” according to court records.

A test by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation determined the pills were methandrostenolone, which is an anabolic steroid, according to court records.

The fanatical parent who irresponsibly encourages their children to use steroids, either directly or indirectly, represents an unfortunate contributor to teen steroid use.

Steroid expert Charles Yesalis believes that parenting has the greatest influence on teen steroid use and not the use of steroids by professional athletes.

One of the biggest issues with young people in sports concerns their often fanatical coaches and parents. If a kid is constantly being told that he has to do “whatever it takes” to win that game, or to win that scholarship, or to get that start on the team, well, guess what? That kid is going to do whatever it takes.

From a moral and ethical standpoint, how you raise a child will determine that child’s behavior. If you instill certain standards in them, then they won’t cross certain lines. If parents want to make sure that their kids are not crossing lines, they need to be paying attention to who coaches their children, and what’s being told to them, and then they need to step back and re-examine their own relationship with their kids as well.

Todd Gerleman’s decision to encourage steroid use by his teenage son was ill-advised. Steroid use by teenagers is strongly condemned by practically everyone for various reasons.  As Arnold Scharzenegger would say,  ”Don’t be a girlie-man“!!