Question 1: How do steroids work (i.e., possible mechanisms-of-action)? Question 2: Currently, the popular media seems to suggest that steroid use is on the rise. Based upon your understanding of the literature, is this true and, if so, how prevalent is steroid use at various levels of athletic competition (i.e., high school, college, professional sports, and international competitions such as the Olympics)? Question 3: In your opinion, why do athletes take steroids? Question 4: Based upon your understanding of the scientific literature, are steroids as effective at therapeutic dosages versus higher dosages? Question 5: To what degree can performance really be enhanced by the administration of anabolic steroids? Question 6: What are the health consequences of steroid use (i.e., in women, men, and adolescents)? With the discovery of tetrahydrogestrinone and desoxymethyltestosterone, a widespread conspiracy to supply athletes with anabolic agents, which were not currently on doping control lists, was uncovered. This realization, plus the Congressional Hearings on Steroid Use in Sport, has brought discussions about anabolic-androgenic steroids to the forefront of popular culture. Within this movement, a plethora of nonscientifically sound data has been presented in the popular media. The present roundtable is the first part of a 2-part series designed to present current information on the topic.
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