The Dangers of Steroids, By: Erin Therese

January 15, 2007

Athletic trainer, Mark Vrba tells KIMT NewsChannel 3, “There is really no proof that actual steroid use improves performance but it does give you a bigger body mass.”  And that body mass is what can lure many people to the drug in the first place. He also adds, “But using it once just starts this whirl wind of side affects.”

Blake Osland, a junior at SCMT High school tells KIMT NewsChannel 3 he won't touch the stuff, “I think it's stupid.”

Blake's Athletic director, Jordan Nelson, knows what to look for if he suspects an athlete is using steroids.  “Irritability is defiantly one of them uh... You can tell a kid can be, can go from calm and collected to… something small happens and they'll be real upset right away.” 

There are physical signs of steroid use as well... “If a kid is getting real bigger, muscular, and thicker real fast were gonna, it's gonna raise some flags,” adds Nelson.
    
Vrba says there are ways to bulk up legally and without hurting your body, “If you wanna do muscle mass changes that's fine you can do that naturally with strength training and endurance training but it's not natural to use performance enhancing drugs supplements or steroids.” 

Nelson says he knows how impressionable young athletes are as they watch the choices made by their professional role models.  But Blake knows what it all comes down to and says, “I think if they are really that skilled they could do their sport just as good with out steroids.”