Steroids and your mind, By: Allan J. Comeau, Ph.D.

After reading about the steroid-abuse controversies surrounding baseball slugger Barry Bonds and, more recently, Tour de France winner Floyd Landis, I feel it is a good idea to bring this topic, and its implications for mental well being, to your attention.

Anabolic-androgenic steroids -- that's their full name -- are so-called because of the two fundamental chemical properties that such compounds contain. "Anabolic" refers to muscle-building properties, and "androgenic" refers to the tendency of these drugs to enhance characteristically masculine features (they are designed to act like the male hormone testosterone). Known by a variety of chemical names, all the drugs in this class are controlled substances, some available by prescription for legitimate use and some only obtainable illegally.

Medically, these substances have beneficial properties that aid in the treatment of conditions in which the body fails to produce an adequate amount of testosterone. Examples of legitimate use include delayed puberty and some types of impotence. Recently, researchers have also found that the muscle wasting that sometimes occurs as a consequence of HIV infection can be treated with therapeutic doses of anabolic steroids.

Why is there such controversy over anabolic steroid use? Once it was evident that athletes and bodybuilders could take these and other substances for performance enhancement, rumors of abuse have abounded. The question was soon raised: Should athletes training without the benefit of a drug-induced boost suffer against competitors who choose to risk health and well being for the purpose of gaining an advantage? The short answer, made clear by international athletic organizations and governments, is no.

Although at therapeutic levels these compounds may provide life and health benefits, most abusers actually administer much higher doses to get the performance and appearance results they seek. Users (abusers) may take from 10 to 100 times the standard medical dose.

Also, although anabolic steroids may "deliver the goods" -- increasing muscle mass and strength -- they invariably do so at a cost: complications such as, testicular shrinking, excessive growth of body hair in women and infertility and pattern baldness in both genders are common. Other adverse effects include weakness and possible rupture of tendons; heart ventricle enlargement and increased risk of heart attack; serious liver complications, including cancer and hepatitis; skin problems; and, for those who share needles, risk of infectious disease.

Children and teens who abuse steroids may trigger inhibition of future bone development, literally compromising their "growth potential."

In addition to the damage to one's character and social status, the psychological consequences of taking steroids also include increased irritability, rage, mood swings and mania, and depression and drug-induced delusional states, such as paranoid jealousy, feelings of invincibility, and extremely poor judgment.

Although news stories about steroid abuse tend to focus on professional or world-class athletes, of much concern in the mental health and substance abuse field is the extent of its use among teens. In the most recent Monitoring the Future Survey, it was found that 1.3 percent of eighth graders, 2.3 percent of 10th graders, and 3.3 percent of 12th graders had used steroids in the past year. While these numbers do not reflect daily or recent use, they are staggering, considering the long-term risks.

The director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Dr. Nora Volkow writes on the NIDA Web site: "Abuse of anabolic steroids is driven by the desire of the abuser to change their appearance and performance, characteristics of great importance to adolescents."

The NIDA also reports that steroid users have a significantly increased risk for abusing other drugs, initially to counteract the negative effects of their steroid use, but eventually leading to other addictions.

Long-term success in dealing with the problems associated with steroid abuse will require a concerted effort by teens and young athletes, parents, coaches, health professionals and sports organizations. In a culture that often supports victory over all else, competitors would be well served by doing some regular soul-searching, remembering to keep other important values in place alongside the need to win.

Allan J. Comeau, Ph.D., is a psychologist on the clinical faculty at UCLA and a former president of the Inland Southern California Psychological Association. Write him at 2001 S. Barrington Ave., Suite 304, Los Angeles, CA 90025, or visit www.drcomeau.com.