Well, here is the problem, people abuse steroids all the time for their personal gain and end up totally messed up. Some of these same individuals are having serious medical problems today, and still won't admit why these problems are occurring. The bottom line is, some of these people won't admit they are suffering from illnesses brought on by steroid use. The sad thing is they are only thinking about themselves and the money they will loose from the sale of steroids and growth hormones to other athletes. Why would they tell the truth?  They do this all in the name of fame and fortune. These individuals are so fortunate to have good doctors to monitor them while they were using the stuff. Why do they continue to say they don't have health problems? If they don’t, then good for them. Not everyone can afford a doctor.

They say that Lyle Alzado died of AIDS, while Lyle had a big article in Sports Illustrated on July 8, 1991, about his steroid use and the many health problems he had including steroid addiction. The title of the article was, "I lied". Why are these individuals lying again? It seems that if they admit that Lyle died as a result of steroid use that it would implicate others. Lyle knew he was dying and knew it was not of AIDS. Also, Lyle was able to have a child, but he eventually lost his life. In Lyle's words, "I'm sorry I lied, I'm sorry success meant so much to me. I just got married to a beautiful, beautiful woman. And I can't take her dancing. I can't take her to dinner. Justin understands that I'm very sick. I try to be real strong on the phone when I talk to him. I hope he'll read this article."

In the article Lyle said, “I know there’s no written, documented proof that steroids and human grown hormone cause this cancer. But it’s one of the reasons you have to look at. You have to. And I think that there are a lot of athletes in danger. So many of them have taken this same human growth hormone, and so many of them are on steroids.  Almost everyone I know. They are so intent on being successful that they’re not concerned with anything else. No matter what an athlete tells you, I don’t care who, don’t believe them if they tell you these substances aren’t widely used. Ninety percent of the athletes I know are on the stuff. We’re not born to be 280 to 300 pounds or jump 30 feet. Some people are born that way, but not many, and there are some 1,400 guys in the NFL.” (Alzado, 1991)

In the article Lyle talked about how he started taking more and more steroids. He said that he would take them by mouth and by injection. He said that the steroids made him a “maniac”. “I outran, outhit, outanythinged everybody”, were his exact words. He said that he kept getting better and better which made him want to get bigger and stronger, therefore, using more and more steroids and growth hormones (Alzado, 1991).

“I had injected so much that a few years ago a plastic surgeon operated on my butt. I had these lumps under my skin from where the needles went in. He went in and removed one baseball-sized mass of tissue and then found a bigger on underneath.” (Alzado, 1991)

Lyle stated, “It cost me a lot of money, $4,000 for 16 weeks just for the growth hormone. At times in my career I probably spend $20,000 to $30,000 a year on different stuff.” (Alzado, 1991)

I understand that there are cases where people are sick and the doctor prescribes steroids to help with the sickness. If you have a headache, you take an aspirin. The steroids that most doctors prescribe for legitimate illness aren’t the kind of steroids that necessarily assist in gaining strength or size. There are too many healthy people abusing drugs. They take drugs or steroids just for the feel of it or to gain strength, size and definition.

Just like the doctor who contacted me asking if I want growth hormones. She tried to tell me to use it. Of course, my answer to her was, "NO". I didn't want any growth hormones. She said that she supplied this well-known powerlifter who ranked in the top 10 in the country with growth hormones. I told the doctor I never heard of that individual. The doctor went as far as sending me the statistics of this individual's bench, squat and deadlift numbers. She still did not tell me what that individual is doing now, or how she is doing. I even noticed in the following issue of the powerlifting magazine some old results and a photo of this individual. It's kind of funny that all of a sudden this picture shows up in the magazine, as backdated as it was. It still did not answer my question, "What is she doing now?". Of course, we all can't lift forever, but the question lies unanswered about her health.

I am a lifetime drugfree world champion powerlifter and I am willing to take a drug test any day, any time. I'll take a urinalysis, hair sample, polygraph, you name it. I have worked hard for my accomplishments, nothing was given to me. I still have to continue to work hard. My lifts are big, but it's all Kathy Roberts and is truly a gift of strength.

There are people dying left and right and it’s just so funny that when these people dies, no one ever gives a reason. They always say that they don’t know the cause. This is an outright lie, that no one knows what the cause was. It’s funny when these athletes are alive and doing well and you hear people talking about them. When they die, to say something like they don’t know the cause is totally ridiculous. Of course, people can die of natural causes, but when it’s clear what some of these athletes are doing, it’s a shame that they have to lie. It seems to me that if they were dying of natural deaths or accidents, they wouldn’t have a problem telling people the cause of death. To keep it a secret makes it worse for our kids today. How would they ever know right from wrong? Please tell them the truth!!! Steroids can kill you!!!

If you believe these people are drug free or lifetime drug free, look out the windows tonight and the sky will be pink. So before you call people idiots who speak out against drugs (which sounds like roid rage to me), do me a favor and pick up a mirror, and what do you see?