Human Growth Hormone (HGH) & Side-Effects

• DEA Website 

•  Human Growth Hormone (HGH) produced in pituitary gland & responsible for normal growth in children.
•  Normal levels of HGH begin to drop off when adults reach mid to late 20’s.
•  Medical uses for HGH prescription include stimulating child height-growth, anti-aging regimens & AIDS muscle wasting treatment.
•  Professional baseball players illegally used HGH to boost recovery capacity.
•  HGH stimulates production of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), which has growth stimulating effect on tissue.
•  HGH is powerful hormone which can have bad side effects.

HGH Side-Effects

• HGH can cause cancer cells or small tumor to grow.
• Benign pituitary tumors can cause headaches or impair vision due to increased pressure on optic nerves.
• Joint swelling & pain (carpal tunnel syndrome) caused by pinched nerves in wrist.
• Osteoarthritis
• Congestive Heart Failure
• HGH doesn’t cause Acromeglia (thickening bones of jaw, forehead, nose, fingers & toes), but speeds progression of disease.
• Alters pituitary gland’s natural production HGH & other pituitary hormones.
• HGH increases insulin level, which causes hypoglycemia, resulting in low glucose levels. Insulin resistance causes increased risk of Type-2 diabetes.
• Increased chance of lung cancer.
• Long term, high dose effects of HGH are unknown.

Anabolic Steroids

• Anabolic steroids are synthetic, chemical compounds that are closely related to male sex hormone testosterone, that were designed to increase muscle strength.
•  Professional baseball players have illegally used anabolic steroids to increase lean muscle mass, strength, & ability to train longer & harder.
• Steroids taken orally or injected.
• Long term, high dose effects of steroid use are unknown.
•  Anabolic steroids are controlled substances under federal law. The Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990 classifies anabolic steroid as Schedule III drugs, requiring a doctor's prescription for use.
• There are serious penalties for illegal distribution & non-medically prescribed use of anabolic steroid.
•  Because the government has banned steroids, 90% of the steroids on the “black market” are either fake, untested, unregulated, or dangerous. These black market steroids should be avoided at all costs.
• There are no anabolic effects (muscle building) without androgenic effects (masculinization of the body like increased body hair, deeper voice, & body acne). The result is that baseball players who take steroids for anabolic effects, cannot avoid the harmful & irreversible androgenic effects.
•  The increase of muscle mass associated with steroids is not accompanied by a corresponding increase in tendon or ligament strength, & injury risks are increased.
•  Increased injuries may result from rapid weight gain (20-30 pounds) in a period of time which is too short for body to adapt to significant size increase.

Sports History

• 1936: German Olympic Team used anabolic steroids at Berlin Olympics.
• 1954: Soviet Union used anabolic steroids to enhance performance at international weightlifting events.
• 1960: East German state sponsored anabolic steroid program to win Olympic medals.
• 1968: World Health Organization (WHO) filed official complaint about steroids & International Olympic Council (IOC) banned anabolic steroids.
• 1987: NFL introduced anti-steroid policy.
• 2001: MLB introduced steroid policy at minor league level.
• 2004: MLB introduced steroid policy at major league level.

Performance Enhancing Drug (PED) Laws 

DEA Website 

Controlled Substances Act

•  Controlled Substances Act covers steroid law in United States.
•  Federal law states that it is unlawful for anyone to manufacture or distribute controlled substance (anabolic steroids) or counterfeit controlled substance.
•  Penalties include jail sentence & fine.
•  Law enforcement monitors chat rooms & websites claiming to sell steroids.
•  Anabolic steroids are included in Schedule III of Code of Federal Regulations Schedule of Controlled Substances.

Schedule III Substances

•  Anabolic steroids are considered schedule III drugs according to federal law.
•  Schedule III drugs have both abuse potential and approved medical uses.
•  Abuse causes moderate or low physical dependence & high psychological dependence.
•  Possession punishable by up to one year in prison & fine of at least $1000.
•  Selling steroids or possessing steroids with intent to sell punishable by up to 5 years in prison & fines.

Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004

•  Congress amended Controlled Substances Act in 2004 to include anabolic steroids and steroid precursors.
•  Amendment defined anabolic steroids as “any drug or hormonal substance, chemically & pharmacologically related to testosterone”.
•  Amendment includes: androstandediol, androstanedione, bolasterone, boldenon, calusterone, clostebol, dehydrochloromethyltestosterone, drostanlone, ethylestrenol, fluoxymesterone, formebolone, furazabol, hydroxytestosterone, mestanolone, mesteronlone, methandienone, methandriol, methenolone, methyltestosterone, mibolerone, nandrolone, norandrostenediol, norandrostenedione, norbolethone, norclostebol, norethandrolone, exandrolone, oxymesterone, oxymetholone, stanozolol, stenbolone, testolactone, testosterone, tetrahydrogestrinone and trenbolone.

HGH Laws

•  HGH now covered under state & federal laws.  Usse, possession, & distribution are punishable with fines, jail time, or both.
•  Federal Law lists HGH as prescription drug, but not specified under schedules of controlled substances, which prohibit possession & distribution.
•  Like any federal law, individual states pass own versions of law. Each state decides where to place anabolic steroids & HGH in Controlled Substance Schedule and how to punish crimes related to those laws.
•  Some states list HGH under schedules of controlled substances & others include HGH under definition of anabolic steroids.

Performance Enhancing Drug (PED) Resources

Taylor Hooten Foundation www.taylorhooton.org	DEA www.usdoj.gov
United State Anti-Doping Agency www.usantidoping.org	Office Of White House Nat'l Drug Control Policy www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov
World Anti-Doping Agency www.wada-ama.org	National Institute On Drug Abuse www.nida.nih.gov

Anabolic Steroids Side-Effects

•  Tendon & ligament problems aren't the only negative side effects associated with steroid use.
•  Anabolic steroids cause a variety of mental & physical changes, which lead to psychological & physical dependence, which makes is hard to curtail use.
•  The adverse effects of Anabolic steroids also relate to the method of administration. Anabolic steroids are generally used orally or intra-muscularly.
•  If taken orally, most of the anabolic steroid is inactivated by the liver, resulting in an increased risk of decreased liver functions, liver tumors & cysts.
•  If anabolic steroid is taken by injection, the risks associated with needle use emerge, including HIV, hepatitis & other infections.

Adolescent Irreversible Side-Effects

•  Premature skeletal maturation.
•  Stunted growth.
•  Accelerated puberty.
•  Abnormal sexual development.

Cancerous Side-Effects

•  Increased risk of cancer.
•  Brain tumors.
•  Genital tumors.
•  Liver and spleen cysts & tumors.

Cardiovascular Side-Effects

•  Increased risk of heart disease and cardiovascular system impairment.
•  Atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries).
•  Hypertension (high blood pressure)
•  Changes in blood coagulation.
•  Reduction in HDL (good cholesterol) & increase in LDL (bad cholesterol).

Liver Disease Side-Effects

•  Increased risk of liver disease.
•  Fluid retention & jaundice.
•  Liver cysts & tumors.
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Orthopedic Side-Effects

•  Connective tissue damage & degeneration.
•  Tendon Ruptures.
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Psychological Side-Effects

•  Addiction.
•  Aggressive Behavior.
•  Depression.
•  Extreme Irritability.
•  Feelings of Invincibility.
•  Paranoid jealousy & Uncontrollable Rage

Sexual Side-Effects

•  Non muscular breast development.
•  Impotence.
•  Atrophy (shrinking) of testicles.
•  Diminished Sex Drive.
•  Infertility from decreased sperm production.

Other Side-Effects

•  Male pattern baldness. 
•  Increased infection susceptibility. 
•  Decreased natural testosterone production. 
•  Acne & oily skin. 
•  Excess body hair growth. 
•  Deepening of voice. 
•  Obstructive sleep apnea. 
•  Hepatitis. 
•  Insomnia.