Many law enforcement officers in the country are not only involved in the use of anabolic steroids. Some of them venture into the illegal distribution of the controlled drug because of the high profit from selling steroids. Authorities are doing their best to stop these illegal activities because it ruins the credibility and reputation of the law enforcement sector. If they are the ones involved in illegal transactions, how can they assure the public that they can still perform their jobs efficiently?

In Philadelphia, an investigation of a steroid ring revealed the involvement of many police officers including a detective who allegedly run the illegal steroid business. The arrest of 15 individuals who were involved in the steroid ring was made possible through the efforts of FBI, DEA and the Philadelphia Police Department. According to the indictment, Philadelphia detective Keith Gidelson managed a steroid distribution network in Philadelphia and other parts of the country. He facilitated the importation of anabolic steroids and human growth hormones from other countries like Europe and China.

3 Police Officers Charged

Gidelson was charged together with his wife and two other police officers. They were already suspended for 30 days and a possible dismissal from the service. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey hopes to clean their ranks after the arrest of the defendants. “Another dark day for our department, but one that certainly does not reflect the good work that goes on every single day by the men and women of this department,” he said. “Unfortunately, we do have some that tarnish the badge and continue to do so and we will very aggressively continue to go after them and get them out of our ranks,” Ramsey added.

U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger said in a statement that these police officers put their personal interest above their duty to uphold the law. “Police officers swear an oath to uphold the law. When an officer breaks the law, no matter the infraction, he not only violates his oath, he violates the public’s trust. This indictment alleges that three officers placed personal gain ahead of their duty to protect and serve,” Memeger said.

The Steroid Distribution Network

Based on court records, Gidelson’s scope of operation does not only cover Philadelphia but throughout the country. He imports steroids and HGH on a monthly basis from China and Europe and then repacked these drugs at his home. His co-conspirators were responsible in the distribution of the controlled substances to local fitness centers and individual customers. Gidelson’s wife also helped him in repacking and distribution.

Gidelson rented a mailbox from a UPS Store where shipments of steroids and growth hormones were delivered. Some shipments were also delivered to California where a co-conspirator repacks and send the packages to the police detective. His home serves as the warehouse and distribution center. Authorities said Gidelson had already distributed large quantities of steroids and HGH. A taped conversation between Gidelson and another defendant showed that the former was selling various types of steroids. His business is thriving well because of the large orders of steroids.

Steroids and Bodybuilding Sites

The indictment also showed that the Philadelphia police detective used the internet to sell steroids in other parts of the country. He acquired customers through online weightlifting chatrooms of some popular steroids and bodybuilding websites. Gidelson used a free and paid email services to place orders of steroids and HGH.

Illicit Steroids Posing Legitimate Pharmaceutical Products

An FBI agent told the media that the imported HGH and steroids from other countries poses as legitimate pharmaceutical compounds but in reality these are illegal and dangerous drugs. The illicit importation of drugs is a major concern of the authorities because of the health problems it can inflict to individuals who are seeking for the artificial advantages of using steroids. The abuse of anabolic steroids can also lead to serious illnesses like heart diseases and cancer.

A doctor’s primary duty is to ensure that their patients are treated with utmost care and proper treatment is given. They should also prescribe medicines that are legally approved for specific medical conditions. However, we still hear from time to time some cases where doctors violate these rules. A doctor in Tulsa, Oklahoma is an example of this. He was charged for making off-label prescriptions for anabolic steroids.

Anabolic steroids are controlled substances. It is a drug that is only prescribed for specific medical conditions such as anemia and some forms of cancers. But today, steroids are commonly used for bodybuilding purposes and used to improve the performance of professional athletes. If an individual can’t purchase these steroids from the black market, they usually connive with doctors just to get prescriptions for steroids. Taking black market steroids are usually dangerous.

Prescriptions for Bodybuilding Use

Dr. Gary Lee, a family and sports medicine doctor from Tulsa, made prescriptions of steroids to at least 3 patients. Authorities said that the steroids were not used to treat ailments but used in bodybuilding like building muscle bulk and muscle enhancement. The doctor was nabbed last year and pleaded not guilty to the charges. He told the court that the off-label prescriptions of steroids were intended to treat injuries and not for bodybuilding purposes.

2 Years Supervised Activities

In the recent update on the case, the Tulsa World website reported that the prosecution and the defense made an agreement to postpone the proceedings for 2 years. Instead, the doctor’s activities will be supervised and monitored by the District Attorney’s Office for the entire duration of the agreement. If Lee violates any of the provisions in the agreement, the case against him will continue.

Payment of Fines and Penalty

The doctor is also required to pay $1,000 to the victims compensation fund, $100 to the DA’s Drug Fund and a monthly due of $40. The court will review the case of Lee on April 2013 and if there are no violations of the law or supervisory guidelines, the case will be dismissed.

Michael King, the defense lawyer of Dr. Lee, clarified that the agreement is not an indication that the doctor pleaded guilty to the charges. The signed document was also clear that the defendant had not admitted guilt. “This seemed like a good way to resolve the case without a long, extended trial,” said the defense lawyer.

The 50-year old doctor is licensed by the Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision. The prosecution maintained their position that Dr. Lee made illegal prescriptions of anabolic steroids by conspiring with patients who obtained and used the drugs for bodybuilding purposes.

Cycling is one of the sports that is taking a hard stance against the use of performance enhancing substances. National and international governing bodies have strict rules when it comes to erring athletes. Taking banned substances will usually result to 2 year suspension. However, a lot of professional cyclists are still taking their chances even if they know that violating the anti-doping rules of the sport may end their career.

This month, a German cyclist is facing a lifetime ban from cycling because a banned drug was found in his system. German cyclist Patrik Sinkewitz submitted his sample during a competition in Gran Prix Lugano in February. Anti-doping authorities found human growth hormone in Sinkewitz’ sample. A confirmatory test was also conducted on his B sample but the result did not change.

B Sample Confirmed Positive for HGH

Sinkewitz insists that he did not commit any wrongdoing and denies his use of HGH. “Unfortunately it’s true, I’m sure no one believes me,” Sinkewitz told Sueddeutsche Zeitung, a German newspaper. The World Anti-Doping Agency or WADA through its accredited lab in Lausanne analyzed the blood sample of the cyclist. Any claim that the result is not reliable is a very weak defense for Sinkewitz.

The UCI released a statement that the case of Sinkewitz is the first in cycling. “This is the first suspension delivered in cycling on the basis of a test for the detection of the growth hormone and one of the first cases in all sports combined. This adverse analytical finding is therefore a new and important step in cycling’s fight against doping,” UCI said.

8 Years or Lifetime Ban from Cycling

It’s clear that the professional cyclist did not learned his lesson. In 2007, Sinkewitz was suspended for one year due to high levels of testosterone in his system. The usual length of suspension for doping is 2 years but the cyclist cooperated with German authorities in investigating other professional athletes who were involved in doping. But this time, Sinkewitz may not get a favorable decision from the International Cycling Union. His second offense is a concrete proof that the cyclist is using substances that improves performance through illegal means. He also admitted to using EPO in 2006 Tour de France. EPO or erythropoietin is considered a performance enhancing drug because it helps improve dramatically the oxygen levels in the blood.

Patrick Sinkewitz competed in Tour de France and other national and international competitions. The German Cycling Union already imposed a provisional suspension on Sinkewitz.

Master Cyclist Used Anabolic Steroid

Another professional cyclist was given a two-year suspension for using anabolic steroid. The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) suspended Peter Cannell of North Carolina for doping. USADA found the anabolic agent drostanolone in Cannell’s sample during an out-of-competition test last year. Cannell, 37, also admitted to USADA that he started using anabolic steroids since 2007. As a result of his confession, all the results, prizes and points earned in various competitions were forfeited.

His several master’s title were all forfeited. The 2007 Masters Road Race title was given to Matthew Johnson of New Haven, Connecticut, the 2008 Master title goes to Eric Bean of Madison, Wisconsin, and the 2009 National time Trial Championship goes to Ian Stanford of Winona, Minnesota.

The National Football League (NFL) is still on top when it comes to sports popularity in the country. With this fact, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says that since the integrity of the league is critical, the league must support human growth hormone or HGH testing. Since HGH is banned from NFL since 1991, there is no debate that it needs to be added in the way they test players.

However, a lot of players are fighting hard against such testing. This is more associated with the fact that scientists have not developed any reliable urine testing for HGH yet. Plus, they are opposed to the requirement of blood being drawn from them for HGH testing.

The Mandatory HGH Testing

Human growth hormone is a product that is illegal in the NFL due to various reasons. This product can help the body recover from injury faster than normal and can even increase muscle mass. This is not to mention yet that using HGH can offer negative side effects such as increased risk of diabetes and increased joint pain. With all these reasons alone, HGH testing is seen to be important.

Adolpho Birch, NFL senior vice president of law and labor policy, explained that there are several reasons to the imposition of the HGH testing. For one, it is one way to protect the players. Since football is a physical game, injury rates are rising since the players are becoming bigger, stronger, and faster beyond normal. This only means that HGH makes football an even more dangerous sports especially that it provides players who use it with increased power.

The Integrity of NFL

Birch added that HGH testing is necessary so as to retain the competitive integrity of every game. Protecting the health and safety of every player is one means of being a role model in the field of sports. Moreover, HGH testing gives the impression to the world that NFL does not accept cheating. And since there are a lot of kids that are growing up dreaming to be part of the league, they idolize so much of the players in NFL. If they hear that their role models are using such substances to gain more power, they will more likely do the same in order to meet their dreams in the future. If kids see that these things go untested, they will do the same thing thinking that they are on the right track.

Birch also explained that testing for human growth hormone is a need that will give them the assurance that their games will still have the confidence of the public. This will make the public see NFL as still fair and legitimate.

The Objections

The primary objection in HGH testing is that players do not want to have their blood drawn. However, Travis Tygart, CEO of U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, says that it is ridiculous for players to object HGH testing simply because of drawing blood. Since players are already putting their body to a physically demanding sport and several blood tests for signing contracts, he sees no point that players will not agree to the testing.

Another concern is over the reliability and validity of the testing. However, Birch said that those concerns have already been addressed as the HGH testing they are introducing has been used by top labs already for several years now. In fact, both Birch and Goodell have undergone HGH testing just to give the process a try.

Contrary to the objections of a lot of players, Antonio Cromartie of the New York Jets is in favor of testing. He states that he is not against it and if someone is against it, it only means he is hiding something.

Commissioner Goodell said that this issue will be tackled in their next labor meeting.

Don’t think that your son or daughter is not subject to steroid use. Even if he does not exactly tell you he is using some, there may be chances that he really is. This is more importantly true if your boy or girl is taking a huge part in the world of sports.

According to surveys, there are at least 13 percent of teens who play high school football that are currently using steroids. On the other hand, there is an 8.8 percent rate of female playing high school basketball that is using steroids. If you are still not surprised of these digits, take the 40 to 50 percent rate of high school and college athletes that are using supplements in line with their workout.

Students and Steroids

The main reason students are taking steroids is the idea that bulking up is a competitive advantage for them once they are in the field. This is not to mention yet students with the mindset of wanting to gain extra weight or simply to look buff. They know no other means to achieve these goals aside from taking anabolic androgenic steroids and also other performance-enhancing supplements.

The enticement of a buffed body among teens is a more recent trend. In a study of the University of Michigan in 1992, it showed that 72 percent of high school seniors know that using steroids can risk harming themselves. In 2002, the percentage dropped down to 57 percent. The U.S. News and World Report have found out that around four in 10 teen steroid users were influenced by the thought that famous athletes are using steroids. Plus, 57 percent of teen steroid users were convinced to use them after reading muscle magazines. This is not to mention yet that 44 percent of 12th grade students know that obtaining steroids is very or fairly easy.

The Side Effects of Steroids on Teens

No matter how highly student athletes think of anabolic steroids, these drugs still remain to offer damage to their bodies. Some of the side effects of steroid use include jaundice, fertility problems, heart disease, high blood pressure, and liver tumor. There are also reported possibilities of extreme mood swings, excessive irritability, and delusions. Other known side effects of steroids on young athletes include impotence, loss of sex drive, heart attack, stroke, and even suicidal thoughts.

Helping Young Athletes

Talking to your child will be one of the best approaches to help him quit thoughts of using steroids. If you think he is using one already, talk about the possible implications the drug can offer to him in the long run. It will be a lot of help to educate yourself about steroid use and everything else it entails.

Moreover, you can also help other student athletes by educating other parents about the risks of steroid use. You can give away flyers or organize a forum with the purpose of teaching parents, athletes, and coaches about steroids. Also, introducing young athletes to the natural ways of bulking up can be a good help to get their hands off steroids. A healthy diet and regular exercise can be much of a help for them.

If steroid use is a problem in older athletes, how much more will it harm student athletes? True enough, it is important for you to work hand in hand with the younger generation to lead them out of the possible risks of steroids despite their belief of this drug helping their athletic careers positively.

Steroid use has become a contributing solution towards treating asthma in children. However, there remains a question about the safety of using this drug in children, especially since the University of Montreal has evaluated how steroids can affect the immune system of children. The findings say that despite the help of steroids, it can expose asthmatic children to new contagious diseases. The study found out that oral steroids cause a temporary depression of immune response of children that were given the drug.

According to Francine M. Ducharme, a University of Montreal professor and pediatrician, the administration of steroids reduces any risk and even the duration of hospital admission in children suffering from acute asthma. However, the safety of this kind of medication is still raising concerns among physicians and parents as steroids have a possible impact on the child’s immune system.

The Reduced Immune Response

The study had evaluated the immune response of children from three to 17 years old, who suffered from an asthma attack. All of them are given immune triggers or antigens and the study has come up with a comparison of the immune response of those given corticosteroids and those that were not given one.

Ducharme says that the evaluation resulted to finding that the children who have been treated with corticosteroid had a significantly decreased immune response. The conclusion was based in the measurement of the amount of antibody produced in children treated with oral steroids as compared to the non-treated children.

Despite this alarming fact, the reduced immunity in children is only transient. This is supported by the study of children who were revaccinated with antigen five weeks after the first evaluation. The recovery period of the immune suppression can heal within six weeks. Ducharme even said that the window of risk of using corticosteroids in treating asthma is very small and the risk is only present with the patients’ exposure to a new antigen concurrent to the intake of corticosteroids.

As a prevention technique, physicians need to know the medical history of the patient prior to prescribing oral steroids. Since the most commonly reported case is chickenpox infection, it is suggested that children who will be treated with steroids must be given a vaccine prior to being prescribed with the drug.

Alternative Asthma Treatments

With the long term effects of steroids and other asthma medications, people are finding alternative ways to cure asthma for a safer and more effective approach. Chiropractic care is one of the alternative solutions being seen today as an effective solution in treating asthma in children. In one study, chiropractic care gave positive effects on 81 children suffering from asthma. It corrects the vertebral subluxation and so decreases and eliminates the need for medications despite asthma being in the picture.

Acupuncture is also seen to be effective in helping children with asthma. However, this kind of acupuncture used in children does not use needles. It is called Shonihari and is known to help a lot of children already especially when coupled with dietary and lifestyle advice.

Corticosteroids, a type of steroid, may be proven an effective solution towards aiding children with asthma. However, there is always a risk involved with it. Talk to your child’s doctor and weigh in the benefits and risks associated with it.