Discussion 1 :
Hello everyone, I believe we should view the use anabolic steroids very carefully given the potential to have adverse effects on our bodies. When you look at the adverse effects as Christians, are we Glorifying God with the usage of anabolic steroids. Since our goal is to be of good health and glorify God in taking care of our temple, we then need to apply the knowledge to achieve the goal. I believe we should take care of our bodies and live healthy based on this scripture 3 John 1:2, which states “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. The words “even as your soul” stand out to me. So not only is your soul to get along well but your health too.
When I carefully look at the words in 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 “and you are not your own”. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice for humanity so that we may have eternal life in him. We belong to God and not of ourselves, I understand free will but obedience to Christ and His Word will impact how we take care of our temple. Another scripture that comes to mind is Galatians 5:17 “for the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want”. The key is submitting to the spirit which I believe will impact your choices in how you take care of your temple. The flip side to that is the temptation to feeding the flesh, think of someone competing in bodybuilding and they keep falling short of winning. Then they start taking anabolic steroids to help achieve the goals they want and at the risk of their health. Do you keep taking anabolic steroids knowing that you are putting your health at risk for the sake of placing in an event? I believe understanding and knowing that your body is a temple would strengthen an individual to not take a risk that could have adverse effects on their health.
Athletes should take caution with the possible side effects from anabolic steroids. The discussion thread article covers adverse side effects based on research studies. The first side effect I will mention is that 40% of the men was reported as having aggressive behavior from taking anabolic steroids (Hartgens, Kuiperspg, 2004). This type of behavior does not Glorify God and mentally it is not taking care of our temple. It has been observed in other investigations an increase in systolic or diastolic blood pressure were triggered by taking large doses of anabolic steroids. According to research studies in the article, in recent years there was an increase among young athletes with critical heart failure and other types of cardiovascular developments. Also, liver function became a concern amongst athletes taking anabolic steroids with the findings of disorders like hepatocellular hyperplasia, and carcinomas in humans (Hartgens, Kuiperspg, 2004). In addition, depression, infertility, and problems with the immune system were noted as adverse effects to high doses of anabolic steroids.
I urge athletes to strongly consider that their body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and make wise decisions in what they put in their body. Also keep this in mind, do not ignore the side effects and seek the short-term goal but focus on health and take care of your temple for the long-term goal.
Darrell
References:
Zondervan NIV Study Bible (Barker K. L., Ed.; Fully revised. edition.). (2020). Zondervan.
Chandler, J. T., Brown, L. E., (2019). Conditioning for Strength and Human Performance
(3rd ed.). essay, Routledge.
Discussion reply 2:
According to God’s word in the Bible, we should view the use of anabolic steroids in a negative method because it disrupts the normal processes of the body. Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) consist of modulation of the androgen receptor expression. Once the steroid binds with cytoplasmic androgen receptors it enters the nucleus (Bond et al., 2022). Once the steroid is in the nucleus it enhances transcription of specific genes. The resulting mRNA is processed and sent out of the nucleus, subsequently enhancing protein metabolism through stimulation of protein synthesis and inhibition of protein degradation (Hartgens &Kuipers, 2004). Anabolic effect includes improving body composition, muscle and aerobic capacity and these drugs are being used on a larger scale for performance enhancement (Hartgens &Kuipers, 2004). Elite athletes in the United States are not permitted to use performance enhancing substances in order to help protect and prevent athletes from the long-term negative effects of using these products. There are no medical needs for the use of anabolic steroids because individuals are injecting their bodies with high doses of testosterone to distinctly increase muscle mass. The use of these anabolic steroids is extremely controversial because recent studies have shown that AAS is being investigated as a treatment option for acute and chronic diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and HIV patients (Hartgens &Kuipers, 2004).
There are short term and long-term side effects of administering steroids, such as increasing lean body mass which may lead to an increased muscle mass (Hartgens &Kuipers, 2004). These steroids generally demonstrate improved indications of strength in beginner athletes. There are multiple negative effects of steroids, with varying factors impacting the negative consequences of steroid usage such as the type of steroid used, the dose, frequency, and duration. Negative side effects are not limited to acene, increased body hair, increased aggression, increased irritability, and mood swings. AAS can negatively affect the reproductive the cardiovascular systems often resulting in irreversible damage to these systems. AAS can cause long lasting and permanent damage to the cardiovascular system because it can lead to heart attacks, strokes, liver tumors, kidney failure and other health problems (Bond et al., 2022). The reproductive system can have permanent side effects after steroid use which include damage to the testicle, reduced sperm production and even a smaller testicle size (Hartgens &Kuipers, 2004).
As Christians we learn in Genesis 1:27, that ‘God created man in his own image’ and that God created our bodies in the most amazing way. “We are God’s masterpiece” (Ephesians 2:10) and each of us are responsible for choosing a lifestyle to “honor God with our bodies” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We are taught in Genesis, Ephesians and 1 Corinthians the importance of mercy, respect, honor, and pride in our bodies for our God. Therefore, athletes should not partake in activities allowing them to manipulate or tamper with any unnecessary use of anabolic androgenic steroids. Many athletes choose to consume AAS substances for quicker results to enhance their performance, is this not cheating the process? In my opinion, I believe athletes that choose to partake in AAS are bypassing the body is a masterpiece philosophy by risking their physical health for rapid performance improvements, which often result in short and long-term negative side effects on one’s body. God provided each of us with one life, therefore we must take the necessary precautions to take care of our bodies for God. Resist temptation and desires from consuming steroids, instead athletes are encouraged to persevere and find their interpersonal Godly motivation to increase self-discipline, not only at the gym during physical exercise but also through the spirt of god. The bible teaches us to “train yourself for godliness, for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in everyway as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:7-8).
Hannah W.
References:
Hartgens, F., & Kuipers, H. (2004). Effects of androgenic-anabolic steroids in athletes. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 34(8), 513–554. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200434080-00003Links to an external site.
Bond, P., Smit, D. L., & de Ronde, W. (2022). Anabolic-androgenic steroids: How do they work and what are the risks? Frontiers in endocrinology, 13, 1059473. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2022.1059473
English Standard Bible (2001). Crossway Bibles