Steroid Abuse in the National Football League

Steroid abuse in the NFL is something, like almost every other sport, that the NFL has to deal with on a regular basis. Steroid use in the National Football League is not some new occurrence; it has been going on for years. Players buying steroids dates back to the 1960’s in such instances as Denver Broncos defensive lineman Lyle Alzado stating he used the drug. However, steroid use has become more popular in recent years. This may be attributed to the ease of access to the obtaining steroids online. A few other noteworthy dates concerning steroid use in the NFL are listed below.

• In 1987 the NFL also adopted their steroid policy.

• During the 1987 season the NFL started to test players for steroid use.

• During the 1989 season the NFL starting handing out suspensions to players that were caught using the drug.

As in any other sport the steroid policy is praised by some and hated by others. However, despite the credicts of the NFL’s policy it is probably one of the stronger steroid policies in the professional sports realm. It is pretty strict when compated to that of other sports.

 All NFL players must be tested many times year-around. Several players have found to be guilty of using the drug since the NFL started doing year around random screenings for banned substances.

Originally there were specific guidelines for when a player was caught using performance enhancing drugs. For example, if a player was caught using during the off-season they were suspended for 30 days for a first time offense. This would basically mean missing 4 games – 3 preseason and 1 regular season game. For a second offense the player was suspended for one year, and the punishment for a third offense was never stated because it never happened. In preceding years, many players started ignoring the policy so Gene Upshaw, the NFLPA director sent out a letter that basically stated players that took banned substances would be suspended for 4-games without pay, and he advised the players not to take any supplements at all.

Why Would I Consider Taking Steroids

If you have ever seen anabolic steroids for sale and thought about purchasing some for you own use there are several things you should consider prior to making such a commitment. You should ask yourself what are some of the reasons I want to take steroids? If this answer is because everyone else is doing it then it then you may want to rethink your decision. Taking steroids is serious and can have some long term health effects as well as some legal consequences. Here is a few questions you should ask yourself if you’re considering taking the substance.

- Is the risk of taking steroids worth the reward?

- Am I trying to obtain a better physical appearance? If so why am I choosing steroids over natural gains?

- What am I trying to achieve by taking steroids?

- Am I trying to get stronger? Could I get as just as strong by working out and not taking steroids?

- Am I trying to be a better athlete? Could I reach my goals as an athlete without taking the drug?

- This could be harmful to my health. Am I ready to sacrifice health issues to reach my goals?

Taking steroids is a very big commitment so it’s important to understand why you would want to take the drug. If you take steroids for the wrong reasons it can be very detrimental.

Steroid Use in Sports

Anabolic steroids are widely used by athletes everywhere and of all ages in order to enhance their performance on the field, in the gym, on the track, etc. There are several high profile athletes that have been caught using steroids. Without the help of this wonder drug some athletes that had tremendous careers may not have been as successful. Here are few athletes who have been caught using steroids in order to help their performance.

5) Sammy Sosa
In 2009 the New York Times reported Sammy Sosa was included in a list of players that tested positive for using performance enhancing drugs in 2003. Sammy Sosa has denied all allegations of using any type of illegal steroid or other performance enhancing drug.


4) Mo Vaughn
On December 13th, 2007 a report by Senator George J. Mitchell revealed that purchases steroid from Kirk Radomski. Radomski said he delivered the drugs to Vaughn personally. Senator Mitchell requested a meeting with Vaughn to discuss all of the allegations against him and give him a chance to respond to these allegations but Vaughn never agreed to do the interview.

3) Rafael Palmeiro
Jose Canseco, a former teammate of Palmeiro recognized Palmeiro as a associate steroid user in his 2005 book, Juiced: Wild Time, Rampant ‘Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big. Canseco claimed that he personally injected Palmeiro with steroids. Palmeiro, however denied these allegations. On August 1, 2005 he was suspended for 10 games for testing positive for steroid use. Then in 2007 Palmeiro was included in the Mitchell report alleging that he used steroids during his career.


2) Roger Clemens
In 2008 Roger Clemens told a House Committee that he had never taken steroids or HGH.
However, Clemens name was mentioned 82 times in the Mitchell report on steroid use in
baseball. In 2010 a federal grand jury indicted Clemens on charges of making false statements to Congress about his use of performance enhancing drugs.

1) Alex Rodriguez
In 2003 Alex Rodriguez tested positive for using anabolic steroids. This was the same year that he won the American League Most Valuable Player award, and won the American League home run title. His name now appears on a list containing 104 players who tested positive for using performance enhancing drugs in the MLB’s 2003 testing.

What is “Roid Rage”?

Basically when an anabolic steroid is taken it adds extra levels of testosterone to the body. The hormones can have different effects on the body which can include:

 These hormones can first produce a very positive effect on a person’s psyche
 This positive effect can later turn into a negative one which can alter the way people act.
 In the early stages of steroid use it may seem that the steroids are making you feel great and very happy, however with continued use these feelings can greatly change.

When buying steroids most people think about the positive effects but do not consider the negative psyche effects that can occur.

With the continued use of steroids the below symptoms can begin to occur

 Aggressiveness
 More hostile
 Anger.

These behaviors are referred to as “roid rage.” It’s a term given to people that act very aggressive and hostile after taking doses of steroids, usually on a consistent basis. There have been many studies performed related to roid rage and these studies support the theory that people most likely to get roid rage are those people who were already angry and hostile prior to taking the drug. However, despite these studies steroids can have psychological effects on any steroid user. So, if you’re thinking about taking steroids be cautious as they could greatly affect your behavior.

List of Ten Prestigious Athletes who Have Used Steroids

The sporting industry is huge and there is a lot of money to be made playing professional sports. This definitely makes for extra incentive for every athlete’s drive to compete and be the best at what they do. Therefore, the use of performance enhancing drugs in the sports world, like steroids, is becoming commonly used by athletes around the globe. Finding steroids online is becoming relatively common and is definitely helping the cause of steroid use. In most cases steroids are banned and an athlete can get into serious trouble for using the drug. However, there are several athletes that still use steroids or have been accused of using the drug. The list below contains 10 famous sports figures that have been accused of or caught using steroids.

10) Rafael Palmero – MLB
9) Ben Johnson – Olympic Sprinter
8) Jose Canseco – MLB
7) Shawne Merriman – NFL
6) Floyd Landis – Cyclist
5) Marion Jones – Olympic Track
4) Mark McGwire – MLB
3) Barry Bonds – MLB
2) Alex Rodriquez – MLB
1) Roger Clements – MLB

The list above is only a very small fraction of the prolific athletes that have been accused or caught using steroids. All ten of these athletes have something in common; they were or are all very good at their respective sport. Most of the time when someone is accused of or caught using the drug they are a notch above everyone else as far as performance is concerned.

The Art of Steroid Stacking

Steroids are often stacked in order to maximize gains and minimize negative side effects. This is very common practice among many steroid users. However, stacking should not be practiced if you have no idea what you’re doing. Proper research is a mush as it is with steroids in any aspect. Stacking the wrong two substances can cause a mess of problems. However, there are many anabolic steroids for sale that when properly stacked can yield much better results that simply taking one substance.

• The primary reason to stack steroids is effectiveness. Just be careful as there are so many anabolic steroids for sale you definitely want to make sure you aren’t stacking two drugs that will turn out to be harmful to your health. If you take more than one steroid at a time you often get what is called the synergistic effect, which means each drug amplifies the other’s effectiveness. Therefore, you can bring out the really good effects some certain steroids have and minimize the negative effects. For example, substances like growth hormones may not be that effective by themselves; however, when stacked with some other steroid the results can be outstanding.

• Even though the primary reason for stacking steroids is seeing better results there are also other reasons one might engage in this practice. One such reason is to pass a drug screening. Different steroids have different clearance times from the body. Orals seem to clear out of the body within a few weeks. However, steroids that are injected into the body can linger in your system for quite some time. Therefore, if you’re using a certain type of oral steroid and initially stack that with a higher dosage of an injectable and then gradually decrease the dosage of injecatble while increasing the oral dosage you could potentially maintain your strength and effectiveness of the steroid usage but might stand a better chance of passing a drug screening.

Steroids and Their Many Uses

Steroids come in different forms and are used for different reasons. Not all steroids are anabolic steroids and are used to get ripped, huge, or increase athletic performance. Different steroid types are used for varying things. Steroids can be classified in a variety of ways and the medical definitions for each steroid vary. However, all steroids are grouped into three main categories. The three main steroid categories are as follows:


1) Corticosteroids. These steroids are related to the hormones in the body associated with the adrenal cortex. This category of steroid is often found in over the counter and prescription medication such as creams used to treat rashes.

2) Androgens. This is the category of steroid that gets the bad reputation. Many athletes abuse this steroid in order to gain a competitive edge. These steroids are related to the male sex hormone, Testosterone. Despite the abuse of these steroids, androgens are also used for many different medical reasons such as weight gain, cancer, and growth stimulation. If you were to buy steroids for increased muscle mass, a better physique, or to become a better athlete this is the type of steroid you would be getting.

3) Estrogens and Progestogens. These steroids are associated with the female sex hormones and are often found in prescription birth control. This category of steroid is definitely not used by athletes. It is used primarily for medical purposes.

Keep in mind there are multiple types of steroids within each of the main categories. There are many different uses for the varying types of steroids which can range from increased athletic performance to helping patients deal with inflammation problems such as arthritis.