Do you know that plants also benefits from steroids the way humans do? Just like in athletes, plants bulk up when injected with steroids. But their molecular signals, which give instructions to boost development and growth in plant cells, are much more complicated than how it is in animals and human cells.

Plant biologists at the Carnegie Institution used proteomics, a molecular approach that identifies key links in the signaling chain of steroids. With this method, new insights into how steroids are able to regulate growth and development in plant cells as well as in animal cells can be made by understanding how the plant hormones activate genes.

The study, led by Wenqinag Tang and Zhi-Yong Wang, looked at brassinosteroids, plant steroids that are the key hormones in the plant kingdom. Brassinosteroids play a major role in regulating many aspects of plant growth and development. Mutant plants that are deficient in this hormone are infertile and exceedingly stunted. This plant hormone also shares many similarities with animal steroids but appear to have very different functions in the cellular level. In animal cells, steroids use internal receptor molecules to get a response within the cell’s nucleus. In plant cells, the receptors are anchored to the cell membranes’ outside surface.

The researchers had to piece the steps together of how hormone signal is transmitted to the surface receptor of the cell to its action in the cell’s nucleus whenever the regulation has the genes for its target. Various components of the BR signaling pathway have been identified in the use of traditional genetic methods. However, this traditional approach cannot identify all signaling pathway components mainly because many genes play the same role in one cell—what is called genetic redundancy, makes identification a lot harder.

To make identification easier, the researchers used proteomics techniques to spot the links in the chain of signal transduction. Wang says that proteomics is similar to genomics because in genomics, what is aimed for is a complete survey of all genes in the genome while in proteomics, what is aimed for is a complete mapping of the proteins.

A single organism constitutes of thousands of different proteins; thus, proteomics require processes that can segregate thousand for proteins at a time. Techniques such as 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis can process thousands of proteins according to size and charge.

Still, even with this technique, it can be difficult to isolate the proteins’ low-abundance signaling. The more abundant proteins swamped the molecules to be identified, making earlier attempts unsuccessful. What the researchers did was separate the membranes from the cell material and analyzed the fraction since they knew that proteins would be associated with the cell membrane. They targeted a particular class of proteins that exchanged phosphate ions to transmit signals and which were known as kinases.

The presence of brassinosteroids was detected by identifying a group of kinases that responded to it, using electrophoresis. The researchers called these proteins brassinosteroid signaling kinases or BSKs. Wang’s study will offer a new paradigm for how hormones work as well as have a major impact on future studies of signal transduction pathways.

A lot of people forego the risks that go with using illicit anabolic steroids just so they can get the results they want, usually for building muscles and for getting ripped. Health fanatics, professional athletes and bodybuilders don’t care if they get acne, mood swings, and even enlarged breasts and shrunk testicles (for males), just so they have the bulky and muscular body that they want. Furthermore, because anabolic steroid for athletic and aesthetic use is illegal, they risk getting caught and serving prison time. Also, they risk being disqualified from a competition for illicit substance abuse. There are other ways to get ripped without the need of taking illegal steroids and other harmful substances. You can get long term results by doing it naturally.

Why steroids aren’t advisable

Many medical experts agree that steroids are not the answer in building muscles and enhancing performance and for gaining long-term benefits. They say that steroids merely inflate the muscles but do not really provide permanent results. What’s more, with taking steroids comes countless of harmful side-effects such as rage, aggression, diabetes, uncontrollable mood swings, depression and significant changes in the body system. They are also illegal for most countries.

A healthier alternative to steroids

As a healthier alternative to steroids, Stemulite, a new herbal supplement, is being used by professional football players such as Cato June, Simeon Rice, Roger Craig, and Ellis Wyms as a “training drug.” Other professional athletes in various sports fields are also starting to use stemulite and reporting positive results. U.S. soldiers are also reported to be using stemulite to help them cope and function.

All-natural supplement

Because it is all-natural, Stemulite is attractive to professional athletes who need to be tested for banned substances before they can be qualified for competition. Stemulite passes the drug testing in all sports organizations because it does not contain any banned substances. It is the latest in all-natural and wellness supplementation. It helps develop and increase endurance, muscles, and strength. Dr. David Summers, the creator of Stemulite, says that it drastically reduces recovery time between workouts and even helps users reach a deep REM sleep within days of taking Stemulite. A good sleep is very important for general wellness and quality performance.

Testimonial by fitness professional

Active fitness professional and former Mr. Florida, Corey Simpson, says that Stemulite is the most effective supplement he has tried to date. In the first couple of weeks of taking Stemulite, he was able to increase the weights he was lifting by 30 percent. He also said that he was able to double the amount of repetitions in his workout. He also dropped excess water weight and got better muscle definition for just a few weeks of use. He further attested that using Stemulite made him sleep better and deeper. He has shared the product to his male and female clients, whom he trains, and he said that the results have been consistent for both male and female clients. Today, Stemulite is increasingly becoming popular among professional athletes across all sports

The treatment for individuals who are affected with lupus can be as terrible as the disease. One of the common treatments used by physicians to control the immune disorder is steroids. Unfortunately, such medication is claimed to cause serious complications to the patients according to the report published by Salynn Boyles of WebMD Health News previously.

Boyles detailed some of the complications caused by steroids as muscle weakness, cataracts, heart problems, and bone fractures due to bone-thinning. This is why the recent published report of the Reuters Health claimed that attention to bones is very significant to women affected with lupus.

However, according to the Reuters Health report, various treatments are already being utilized to maintain the mineral density of the bone to significantly avoid the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis. New researches were focused to the premenopausal women who are taking steroids to battle lupus.

Lupus, which is technically identified as systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is a serious “autoimmune” disease wherein either or both healthy and foreign tissues are confused by the immune system. “Whether due to the corticosteroid treatment, or to the disease itself, osteoporosis is being increasingly recognized in patients with SLE,” explained by Dr. Swan S. Yeap of the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, along with his colleagues in the Journal of Rheumatology.

The team of Yeaps observed changes in bone mineral density (BMD) in 98 premenopausal women affected with SLE under long-term steroid therapy for more than two years while taking calcium alone and calcium with calcitriol (the active type of Vitamin D) also known as the calcium plus, a bone strengthening medicine alendronate (Fosamax).

The researchers’ report revealed that women who are taking calcium plus alendronate were observed to have significant increases in BMD both at the hip (1.41 percent) and lumbar spine (1.41 percent) as compared to the baseline.

On the contrary, the researchers said that no vital changes were observed to happen to those women who took calcium alone including the calcium calcitriol groups; although, a 0.93 percent decrease in hip BMD were observed in the group of women who took calcium only. The medications were claimed to be well tolerated. So, the researchers conclude that those premenopausal women who are taking steroids to battle SLE can maintain or increase bone minerals by taking prophylactic therapy.

In addition, the report of Boyles also claimed that previous research recommended women who have mild to moderate lupus to have a reduction on steroids dosage and add up male hormone prasterone to their medication. This research revealed that prasterone helps in building bone in women affected with lupus are taking steroids. “This is a very exciting finding because there has never been a drug that built bone in people taking corticosteroids,” said by Roberta G. Lahita, MD and lupus researcher. “We know that this (male hormone) builds tissue and bone, but we had no idea that it could do this in lupus patients on steroids,” he added.

Lahita also said that many lupus therapies have been around for decades already. However, the major treatment advances can be on the horizon now. “Thanks to the promising biological research,” he said.

There is no story as juicy as a good steroid scandal, unless it took place at the National Football League;then it would just be business as usual.

Right now, there are about 6 to 8 players–including star playes–that are being investigated because of the use of diuretics in order to hide steroid use. However, this issue is mostly being ignored by the fans and are more troubled by the status of their teams.

Of course there are some people who are quite concerned because of the big possibility that these stars will be suspended from the game, but not an issue big enough to alarm the fans. With this, it is safe to say that there is the presence of steroid use in football but not a big issue enough to make a big scene.

It is the NFL after all! Most people assume that these players would exhaust all means–even cheating–just to win. In fact, fans do not really care if the NFL players are using steriods; they are already assuming that someone as big as these players are using substances to make them Bigfoot-like. As opposed to baseball, football fans are more likely to accept almost anything in the sport.

That said, the time when Shawne Merriman tested positive for steroids, the fans never really cared;they even gave loud applauses the moment the player came back from suspension. The only controversy given was that if Merriman was still qualified to receive postseason awards.

On the other hand, when Rodney Harrison was suspended because he admitted to have been using human growth hormone, the fans were just worried that he will not be given the chance to come back in time to play his part in the Super Bowl.

Football is, by nature, being ruled by big guys; hence, the use of steroids in order to sustain such sizes had become an acceptable means for them. In the real world, people would crave for supplements that could make them thinner but in the football field, men would find ways in order to become bigger.

Just recently, with more and more players being investigated, it won’t be long until the NFL eventually announces the suspension of some players. But whether or not steroid use is acceptable for these players, one thing is for sure, the use of steroids is not actually disdained.

The founder of supplement company who has a connection to the supply of performance enhancing drugs to professional athletes, Victor Conte, detailed his selling of steroids to Shane “Sugar” Mosley in court papers according to the report published by the USA Today. Conte is reported to provide details of the drugs he purportedly supplied to Mosley including the amount of money he charged to the professional boxer before his 2003 title fight against “The Golden Boy,” Oscar De La Hoya.

The report featured in Super Sport detailed that Mosley paid an amount that ranges between $600 and $900 for steroids and a blood boosting drug. Conte stated that Mosley used to visit him to obtain steroids directly from his office using limousine according to the USA Today report.

Specifically, Conte stated in court that Mosley paid $900 for the blood boosting drug EPO alone and another $600 for steroids, which are familiar as “the clear” and “the cream.” Conte also added that he charged Mosley for additional payment for the limousine he used, which was $500 in cash and $1,350 by personal cheque.

Now, Conte is trying to dismiss the defamation suit filed by Mosley against him in New York state court. The suit asserted the information released by Conte to newspapers claiming he witnessed the professional boxer as he injected himself with blood boosting EPO and that Mosley is aware what he was actually taking.

The World Boxing Council informed the public earlier this month that they are instigating the ex-world champion after the claim against him broke out including his doping admission to a grand jury.The 37-year-old professional boxer had sworn statement in the Balco steroid scandal. There he confessed his usage of performance enhancing drugs before his fight against De La Hoya. And his confession was subject by court officials to public scrutiny.

“It was a real surprise to read that Mosley has confessed that he did take those medicines, those drugs that are totally prohibited by the WBC,” said by WBC president Jose Sulaiman.

“WBC rules state that we must have a hearing. This is a matter of serious concern to us,” he added. According to several reports, Mosley told Balco grand jury before that he used EPO and steroids during his training. However, he insisted that he is already taking illegal drugs—a claim similar to Bonds, Tim Montgomery, and Marion Jones.

“I believe it is time for Shane Mosley to receive the consequences he deserves for lying about his use of performance enhancing drugs,” stated by Conte in an e-mail. “Other athletes associated with BALCO who have lied about their use of drugs have been banned from their sport, stripped of their records and medals and even spent time in jail.”

Also, Sulaiman has requested WBC lawyers to collect evidence about the matter and present facts of his investigation to WBC officials, which can disqualify or require Mosley to pay a fine.”Thus far, the WBC has seen only press reports and must therefore investigate any available evidence and review it, in terms of the WBC rules and regulations’ anti-doping provisions,” uttered by Robert Lenhardt, WBC legal adviser.

Which can be considered worse in sports—steroids or gambling?
The issue between steroids and gambling in sports is not commonly being tackled these days because more focus is given to steroids alone. In fact, steroids appear to make the most noise and controversy in sports arena for the past years and even today according to one feature posted in Megaessays.com.

However, according to the commentaries posted on Blogcritics.org, replacing the term “steroids” with the term “gambling” in sports field, in Major League baseball specifically, can still result in total chaos and may cause universal dismay. To make the point more direct—both steroid and gambling carry a threat on the integrity of sport.
Unfortunately, even though both steroid and gambling are creating a scandal in the sports field; both are not being fairly dealt by the sports body according to the claim of Jake Niall of The Age who published the case of the trio—Kevin Muscat, Craig Moore, and Grant Brebner.

The case of these three players of Melbourne Victory clearly reflected the issue of gambling in sports when their arrest for making a bet on their own sport in the US broke out. According to the report written by Niall, the three players are about to face suspension now and Brebner is said to be banned for lengthy stretch. Particularly, Moore and Muscat were required to pay only meager amounts as fines for betting on games. Brebner on the other hand was laid down with a four-game ban for making a bet on playoffs involving his own team. The report conveys Brebner gambling offense to be as heavy as taking steroids as it compromises the sports integrity.

But talking about the issue between steroids and gambling in sports, Niall rationally compared the case of the trio to the case of Ben Cousins, a professional Australian footballer, who is said to have brought an unforgettable disgrace to his game by becoming a drug addict and acting one in the middle of the field. Cousins does not have any criminal record; however, he was rubbed out in the field by appearing without a shirt and acting aggressive inside.

Niall explained that Cousins undoubtedly injured his own reputation including his team. However, his offense does not wholly damage his sport as compared to betting on one’s own team. But then, the consequences he received are heavier as compared to the trio. The report published by Niall mentioned that Australia has already developed an absurd hysteria about illegal drugs in sports.

Unfortunately, the country remains feeble on the more critical issue, which is the gambling of professional sportsmen. Hence, Niall cited that by neglecting the seriousness of gambling offense in sports; the sporting body also suggests to adopt the view of Don Corleone of the Godfather saga of Mario Puzo—taking illegal drugs is a dirty business but making a little gambling is considered fine.

Niall emphasized the disregard of the sporting body to the gambling offenses by giving some examples: specifically, the easy escape of champion sportsmen from the real penalty of gambling-related offenses; while professional sportsmen who were involved to illegal drugs received harsh penalties including suspension and vilification.

Apparently, both offenses caused dishonor in sports. Both are critical issues that need to be dealt, especially when both offenses are viewed as fine by young audiences as their role model athletes perform them. So, there should be no ramble as to which is worse between steroids and gambling because both promote a negative impact to sports image; and both create a negative influence to young viewers.