Teen HGH doping not worth the risk

It won't be long now, football fans.

Yes, we've enjoyed baseball season, and the World Cup was a pleasant distraction, but we all know what the real sport is.

In Nebraska, NU volleyball and, to a lesser extent, basketball, have made themselves felt, but Big Red means football.

There's nothing like a trip to Memorial Stadium on game day, and most of us can only imagine what it's like to suit up to take the field.

Little boys, young men -- and a few girls -- all over the state aspire to be among the few granted that experience. Some of them will have the determination and talent to win that honor; unfortunately others will take short cuts.

Unfortunately, thanks to the Internet, some of the same short cuts that have infected professional sports have found their way all the way down to the high school level.

And, it's not just for football, of course. Many young people are willing to risk their health for the promise of increased muscle mass, better performance and improved appearance.

The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids released a confidential 2013 survey today of 3,705 high school students in which 11 percent reported using synthetic human growth hormones at least once, up 5 percent from four previous annual surveys. Instances of teens using steroides climbed 5 to 7 percent over the same time.

"It's what you get when you combine aggressive promotion from for-profit companies with a vulnerable target -- kids who want a quick fix and don't care about health risk," Travis Tygart, CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency told the Associated Press.

HGH is produced naturally in a teen's body, but side effects of using synthetic HGA can include acromegaly, which causes a person's hands or face to grow abnormally large. Other problems can include heart disease, diabetes, cancer and long-term stunted growth -- the exact opposite of the desired purpose.

Plus, teens might not actually be taking HGH at all.

Pure HGH is expensive, so it's possible that some teens who think they are using it may be taking something else entirely.

Aspiring to be a top athlete or to build an attractive physical specimen are admirable goals, but not at the expense of your future health.

Hit the track or the weight room instead, and leave the bottle of HGH alone.