Steroids: They're all the rage, By: Brian Linder

July 14, 2007 

The names are out there, kept alive now by parents lobbying for change and reform.

Kids like Rob Garibaldi, the baseball player who just couldn't get big enough, and Taylor Hooton, the pitcher who just wanted to make his own mark, would have likely faded out of the nation's memory long ago had it not been for that. Both Garibaldi and Hooton committed suicide, and the parents blame anabolic steroids.

Garibaldi was a hard-hitting outfielder who's 5 foot 11, 160-pound frame was considered too small in high school. So, according to his parents, Ray and Denise Garibaldi, he began using steroids. He was drafted by the New York Yankees -- in the 41st round -- coming out of high school, but he opted to go to college, first to Sonoma State and then to Southern California. He wasn't drafted after his college career ended in 2002, and on Oct. 1, 2002, he shot himself with a pistol. He was 24.

Hooton was described as a bright kid who wanted to work his way into the starting rotation at Plano West Senior High. He started using steroids, and added 30 pounds of muscle. But, on July 15, 2003, Hooton hung himself. He was 17.

Two horror stories, two tragedies and two incidents that many parents think can't or won't happen to their child. But, the statistics suggest otherwise. According to the latest information provided by the Centers for Disease Control, 7.1 percent of high school kids in South Carolina admitted to experimenting with anabolic steroids. That's a high number, especially when compared to states such as Texas (4.3) and Florida (4.0).

It appears teenagers are using steroids -- perhaps more now than ever -- so the question becomes, what should a parent do if they find their child using anabolic steroids?

Many parents make the mistake of immediately taking their child off the substances, grounding them and forgetting about it. But, according to Jocelyn A. Myers, MD, who has operated Palmetto Endocrine Associates INC. on Village Park Drive for two years, the first thing a parent should do is get help.

"They should contact a Pediatrician or a doctor," Myers said. "They need to examine what type of steroid they were taking and how much. If the artificial steroids have suppressed the body's production of hormones, they need to come off the steroids slowly in a medically supervised manner."

Coming off of steroids without medical supervision has been believed to cause depression, but Myers said there are other side effects as well.

"They can become weak, lethargic and dehydrated," she said. "They can get dizzy when they stand up, and they can lose weight."

For young males, Myers said the use of anabolic steroids is especially troubling because they are already producing large amounts of testosterone.

"It depends on what they take, how much they take and for how long they take it," she said. "It can cause impotence. It can make the testicles shrink. You will have increased muscle mass and aggression, and you will have an increased sexual drive which will just increase the frustration because they will not be able to perform."

What should parents look for? Are there signs? Garibaldi and Hooton both suffered from "Roid Rage." The signs, according to the parents, were there, but they never acted on them. Myers said there are several indicators parents can look for.

"Watch for a rapid increase of muscle growth over a short time," she said. "Also, watch for unexplained aggression. They could snap, and snap for no reason.

"That's 'Roid Rage'."