Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Paging Dr. Gupta: Steroids Foul Play

Aired May 31, 2002 - 11:32   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Today we're paging Dr. Gupta on a topic that's been in the spotlight this week, and we're talking about steroids. They may pump you up, but when it comes to athletes using the drugs is bigger really better?

Last hour, medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta gave us a closer look at the issue. And he rejoins us this morning from our studios in New York.

And here in Atlanta, someone who has worked one on one with athletes, Dr. Laura Hatch with Emory Sports Medicine.

Thanks for joining us.

DR. LAURA HATCH, EMORY SPORTS MEDICINE: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: We're going to start with you, Dr. Gupta, from New York.

It seems as though athletes, professional athletes, and steroids is nothing new. But it does seem to be taking quite a bit of a twist since we're seeing more high school athletes are beginning to experiment with anabolic steroids.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh, absolutely. I mean the numbers are actually extraordinary, if you think about it. The numbers that we're seeing in high school seniors now are the numbers that we were seeing in professional athletics not that many years ago.

And as we've talked so much about, Fredricka, these anabolic steroids, first of all, probably not being used correctly, meaning being taken consistently at incorrect doses, things like that, are probably going to cause all sorts of long-term health effects that a lot of these kids really don't know about and would probably not be taking the steroids if they did know about it.

WHITFIELD: All right, we're getting lots of questions in through e-mail.

Our first question comes from John Dale of Toledo. Dr. Hatch, I'll pitch this to you. "As a former football player, I am now at age 33 experiencing numerous health problems. I did use steroids in college. Are my health issues similar to those of others players who have used steroids in the past or present?"

HATCH: Well, yes, and that's a little bit hard to say. I'm not quite sure what your -- what health problems you are experiencing. But it is true that taking steroids can cause some liver abnormalities, some of them reversible, some of them irreversible. One of the risks of taking steroids, and specifically injecting them, is viral hepatitis, HIV/AIDS. So it's not -- it's hard to say because I'm not quite sure what health problems you're -- you are experiencing at this time.

WHITFIELD: So I'm wondering, you know there are the oral type steroids that some take, and then there are injectable ones as well, right?

HATCH: The oral ones tend to go through the liver and have -- and have to be metabolized by the liver. You have an increased risk of having liver abnormalities, increased liver...

GUPTA: Yes.

HATCH: ... transaminies (ph), signs that the liver is having to work pretty hard. And by the injectable, there's risks of things that go through needles. And for instance, HIV and viral hepatitis and C.

WHITFIELD: Right. OK, well, Dr. Gupta, I've got a question that is kind of on the lines of the injected steroids. And this question comes from Joe Kish of London, Ontario, Canada. "A few of my friends are on steroids, injected. One now has bone marrow cancer; the other has had heart valve surgery. Could this be steroid related?"

GUPTA: Yes. Well, I think you're -- we're starting to hear some of the more dramatic examples of what steroids can do to people, and those could be steroid related. It's hard to say if they are for sure. A steroid, especially in some of the doses that we're hearing about, it can be a very powerful substance.

It does a few things, Fredricka. First of all, it's going to change the cells to some extent, so possibly causing cancers. It may -- it may actually induce mutations in some of the cells like we heard about with Lyle Alzado, the football player, and maybe in -- from the friend of one of our e-mail questions as well. It also decreases the immune system so you don't fight off infections well. Heart valves can get an infection on them, and that could possibly damage heart valves.

Again, those are some of the more dramatic examples, but certainly possible from long-term steroid use.

WHITFIELD: Brian Travis of Reading, Pennsylvania, has a question for you, Dr. Hatch. "Can steroids be used safely when taken in cycles and/or when doctor regimented and supervised by a physician?"

HATCH: Cycling steroids means that you take 6 to 12 weeks and you increase the dose, change the dose and you're trying to fill the receptors with steroids. If the question is is it -- excuse me.

WHITFIELD: Can it be used safely...

HATCH: Safely when...

WHITFIELD: ... when taken in cycles?

HATCH: ... cycles and by a doctor regimented and supervised by a physician? Most physicians use steroids for chronic debilitating illnesses, such as burns, AIDS, etcetera, where they really need to increase their muscle mass for -- to increase their strength. But these are people who are pathologically sick.

WHITFIELD: And Dr. Gupta, it sounds like Brian Travis is really asking is there a safe way in which to use these performance-enhancing drugs?

GUPTA: You know, it's really an interesting point, actually, because what we're seeing is a lot of -- as Dr. Hatch was pointing out as well -- seeing a lot of young, healthy people actually taking steroids for the purposes of muscle strengthening. We don't know, really, what some of the long-terms effects are going to be on those people because the people in the past who have taken steroids for that long a term have all needed them. They've either not had enough steroids or they've had some significant disease that required steroids. So this is a different population of people. It is going to be, in a way, interesting to see how they do in the long term.

WHITFIELD: Boy, I'm so surprised that so many people who are not professional athletes are really inquiring about this.

Steve from Los Angeles, Dr. Gupta, has another question for us. "Does human growth hormone, or HGH, work? Is it a steroid? Is it safe? What are side effects? Is it addictive? Is it regulated? There are so many to choose from -- which are the better ones?

GUPTA: Yes, and that is a really good question. And Dr. Hatch would probably agree that we are starting to see human growth hormone emerge. It -- it's not quite as popular, hasn't quite gotten to the same levels as steroids, but it's been touted as, you know, the fountain of youth. It'll turn your gray hair back black. It'll make the skin of you -- your skin more elastic again to try and make you look younger. But it probably has some significant problems as well.

First of all, if you don't need it and you take it, then it's probably going to significantly change your facial appearance. That's one thing. So even though your skin looks better, your hair is blacker, your face itself will change. Sort of a lantern-like jaw. People very recognizable. In some of the athletes, you'll see that. Also, it probably ages your organs inside faster.

So again, while you may look younger on the outside, it actually has significant effects on your kidneys and perhaps on your liver as well. I don't recommend it unless you need it, although a lot of people are taking it.

WHITFIELD: Wow, like a real life Hulk, huh?

Here's another question. Could you get side effects from steroids while you're drinking alcohol -- Dr. Hatch?

HATCH: Well we've all heard about roid rage -- steroid rage.

WHITFIELD: Oh, yes.

HATCH: And obviously, with alcohol, anyone who has increased aggression was more likely to demonstrate it. So the two don't mix.

WHITFIELD: Wow! So it doesn't sound like there really is a safe way in which to use these performance-enhancing drugs. Doesn't sound like either one of you are endorsing it.

HATCH: Well the behavioral side effects are very worrisome.

WHITFIELD: Yes, all right.

Dr. Hatch and Dr. Gupta, thanks very much.

HATCH: Thank you.

GUPTA: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com