Play It Safe. Be Real. Avoid Steroids.

The asterisk is more than just a symbol these days. Sure, it still refers to a footnote, but when it comes to sports it's got a whole new meaning. It stands for being a fake. Get caught taking steroids and you'll get labeled with one of these six-pointed bad boys. Then it's game over and you can kiss those friends and scholarships good-bye. So be determined. Be real. Or, be whatever you want. Just don't be an asterisk. What's the deal with the asterisk? Well, the asterisk found its way into the sports arena in 1961. It was during that baseball season when New York Yankee Roger Maris set out to break Babe Ruth's single-season home run record. The Babe's record was 60 home runs in a 154-game season. Maris hit 61 home runs in a 162-game season. It was decided by Ford Frick, the commissioner of baseball, that Maris' accomplishment would be put in the record books with "an asterisk," to denote the 8-game difference. There were, however, no official record books at the time, but being labeled with an asterisk stuck with Maris regardless. If you fast-forward to 2008, the asterisk has a whole new meaning. Because of an athlete's ties to steroid use, some records have been branded with the "asterisk" symbol by the general public and sport historians. Whether it be an Olympic medal, home run ball or team championship, history will forever label certain results with the "asterisk" symbol if an athlete is somehow tied to steroid use. The deceit that is needed to use steroids undetected has destroyed lives, families and friendships. In some cases, individuals have gone to prison as a result of the negative choice to buy and/or distribute steroids illegally. But in all cases, it turns people into fakes. So how did steroids make it to pro sports in the U.S.? The first thing you should know is that steroids didn't start out here. German scientists figured out how to replicate testosterone. After Soviet lifters dominated the World Weightlifting Championship (thanks to the use of testosterone injections) U.S. weightlifting doctor John Ziegler created a compound similar to testosterone. This would become known as Dianabol. The "little pink pill" became a staple in the training routines of Ziegler's American weightlifters. In the 1960s & 70s steroid use spreads across the U.S. Eventually, organizations like the International Olympic Committee began to ban the substance and disqualify Olympians who were using. Here in the U.S., Congress recognizes steroids as a controlled substance. Within the last 10 years, an entire agency (the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency) was created to test U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes for banned substances. In 2008, United States Olympic Committee, United States Anti-Doping Agency, Major League Baseball and National Football League announced a Partnership for Clean Competition Anti-Doping Research Collaborative. It's no surprise that steroid abuse affects the pros, but it also affects their teammates and their fans. Take Michael Johnson for example. He found out his teammate Antonio Pettigrew was going to testify for using performance enhancing drugs. This meant that all records they had set together and all medals they had won would be called into question and possibly even taken away. As for the gold medal that was tainted by the steroid use of Pettigrew and teammates Alvin and Calvin Harrison, Johnson eventually returned it to the International Olympic Committee. He says, "I don't want it. I feel cheated, betrayed and let down." Beyond losing respect (and even athletic scholarships), here are some things you might want to know about steroid use and abuse, and, some thing maybe you didn't: - Anabolic-androgenic steroids are the man-made by-products of the male sex hormone testosterone. They promote weight gain and build up cellular tissue in muscle. - Oral steroids can be detected for up to a few weeks after use. Injections can be detected for a number of months after use. - Although steroids make you bulk up, they do not improve dexterity, or natural athletic ability. - Long-term steroid users and abusers may experience symptoms of addiction like cravings, withdrawal, and difficulty stopping. - When you stop taking steroids, your muscles will pretty much deflate. - The first experiments to replicate testosterone were done with extractions from a bull's testicles. - "'Roid Rage" is caused by the hormonal imbalances in a steroid user's body. - Guys can begin to take on female traits because their bodies stop naturally producing testosterone. - Girls can take on male characteristics because they are pumping their bodies with testosterone. If you want to train real and be real, keep these tips in mind. They're a great start to being fierce and focused when you compete. THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE FEELING. When you're training, try to take mental notes of what you feel in your arms, legs and lungs. It's a good way to get to know your body and prep for competition time. BE PREPARED. It helps to scope out the location of the game, race, match or meet before the big day. Being comfortable with where you are will make you stress less so you can focus on what you came to do: COMPETE TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY. 4 ESSENTIALS FOR A SPEEDY POST-WORKOUT RECOVERY: - Carbs: Helps refuel your body. - Protein: Helps repair muscle and makes it bigger. - Water: Helps carry nutrients to you muscles and organs. - Sodium. Helps you hold onto your water. Want to learn more? Check out www.DontBeAnAsterisk.com on your computer or m.dontbeanasterisk.com on your cell phone!