With the NFL Draft set for this weekend, many questions still remain about the dangers involving college-aged and professional athletes using performance-enhancing drugs.
Human growth hormone (HGH), which is medically used to correct endocrine deficiencies in childhood, is still undetectable by the NCAA, NFL and other professional sports. HGH is also used by many adults who wish to attain large amounts of muscle mass.
Dr. Charles Yesalis, former professor of health policy administration and exercise and sport science, and a nationally regarded expert in the field of steroids, said HGH is primarily used in the body as a hormone and not a steroid.
HGH -- a hormone naturally secreted by the pituitary gland -- is a vital part of the growth process, Yesalis said. With age, the body slows its production of HGH. Many have found HGH to be a miracle injection that builds muscle mass, burns fat and decreases signs of aging, he added.
Celebrities such as Sylvester Stallone have recently been accused of using HGH. In preparation for his role in Rocky Balboa, Stallone is said to have used the hormone to bulk up.
"You don't see 60 year olds like that," Yesalis said. "It goes back to the whole issue of how [Americans] view aging -- we want to look fit and athletic."
Though legal prescriptions of HGH are limited to patients who do not naturally produce enough of the hormone as children, doctors have been finding "off label uses" for the hormones and have been testing their effects, Yesalis said.
"With baby boomers who don't accept getting old and a current generation who is appearance-obsessed, everyone is looking for a quick fix. Because of modern advances, taking pills and supplements have become very much a part of our culture," Yesalis said.
While studies to determine the long-term effects of HGH have not been done, many studies have been done to predict adverse effects.
Roger McCarter, professor of biobehavioral health, said increased usage of HGH promotes the growth of bodily cells, which could potentially include the growth of cancer cells or lead to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
For John Cremo (freshman-marketing), building muscle is an integral part of fulfilling his goal of walking on to the varsity football team. At 5'9, Cremo hopes to be at 5 percent body fat and 225 pounds by tryouts this fall.
"I want to be bigger than everyone," Cremo said. "I would consider taking growth hormones if they were legal, but I would definitely talk to a doctor first to get the correct doses. I wouldn't do anything to hurt myself."
Most professional sports arenas, along with the NCAA, ban the use of HGH to build muscle and advance strength.
However, an accurate test for elevated HGH levels has yet to be created, Yesalis said. Any such test would have to test blood instead of urine, which is against NCAA rules. Essentially, he said, there is no way to detect if athletes are using growth hormones.
Cremo currently takes creatine, whey protein and Endurox to aid in his muscle building, which are NCAA legal supplements.
Other students have moral issues with the advancement of HGH as a muscle building supplement.
"I personally feel that HGH should not be freely legalized for muscle building purposes," said Dan Continenza (senior-criminal justice), Penn State powerlifting club president. He added that the risk of adverse side effects makes it too risky to even consider for muscle building.
"It's a matter of control--if put in the hands of the wrong people, growth hormones would be abused," Cremo said. "Every professional record will be broken if growth hormones are legalized in sports."
