Steroid Nation: Juiced Home Run Totals, Anti-aging Miracles, and a Hercules in Every High School: The Secret History of America's True Drug Addiction

The cops and robbers part of this book is excellent, as the author draws nice profiles of the major characters, and follows the legislative and legal history of steroids. He keeps up interest as you get to "know" the enforcers, the "gurus", scientists, coaches and others including the famous governor of my state. He also does a good job of explaining how steroids and other enhancement drugs work in your body. I think he was pretty fair in not overly demonizing the bad guys or hero worshiping the good guys.However, I was frustrated by much that was left out. For example, in the first chapter he talks about a steroid advocate being in regular contact with strength coaches of major NCAA schools without identifying the schools. He also doesn't give much information on what the long term effects of these drugs are. He gives a few scary examples of individuals who died before their time, and in a late chapter he mentions scores of ex-wresters dying at an early age (but doesn't say what they died of - though he implies it's of heart problems).Finally, he doesn't get into the usage of steroids in the beef and poultry industries and what those health consequences might be, and / or how they are regulated.I'm afraid we're still waiting for the definitive book on steroids in society, but it's a good read with some interesting information.

Shaun Assael, in his book Steroid Nation*, does a great job of weaving the threads of the steroid story from its less than humble beginnings as part of the Venice Beach bodybuilding underground to the Tour de France scandal, use by NFL stars and Major League Baseball players and Olympic champions. Assael tells the story of how the Dan Duchaine, the original steroid guru, opened up Pandora's Box when he published the Underground Steroid Handbook for Men and Women in 1982, and set in motion events that were responsible for - among other things - the BALCO Labs performance-enhancing drug scandal, the drug related deaths of professional wrestlers and the creation of the multi-billion dollar dietary supplement industry.Steroid Nation* is a crazy story of mad geniuses, smugglers, drug dealers, underground gurus, self-taught chemists, deviants, narcissists, human guinea pigs, cheaters and liars. For people who have had their head in the sand with regard the steroids in sports scandal, Steroid Nation* will grab them by the scruff of their collective necks and shake them into awareness. The uninitiated will be amazed that a sociopath like Dan Duchaine could have had an influence on everything from the explosion of the use of steroids and human growth hormone to the creation of the drugs that were at the heart of the BALCO Labs scandal.The amazing thing about how performance-enhancing drugs have affected the world of recreational activities and sport, is that there is a coherent string running through the story that connects the pioneers of the movement 30 years ago - Duchaine and his contemporaries; people that nobody has really ever heard of - to some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment of the past 10 years. A business that was as underground and as seedy as any seedy underground business could ever be, affected and then turned into something public, high-tech and lucrative.Steroids, human growth hormone, creatine, androstendione, legal and illegal supplements have all been developed and used by people looking to get an edge, make some money and build a following. Steroid Nation* tells the story of how underground chemists looking for the next hot drug and supplement developed substances of dubious efficacy and that made people fortunes, while creating problems for the anti-doping movement.Steroid Nation* is a great book, a book that tells a lot of stories and a book that every sports fan should read. If you don't understand the fuss about steroids, this book will help put things into perspective. "The Juice" isn't something that just came onto the scene, and athletes haven't just started cheating over the past few years.The current performance-enhancing drug scandal didn't start with Marion Jones, Ben Johnson, BALCO Labs or Barry Bonds. The scandal started 30 years ago and has been growing the whole time, bubbling to the surface every once in a while. Read Shaun Assael's book Steroid Nation* so that you can get up to speed and understand the story that's been going on since the 1970s and that will continue to unfold in new and crazy ways as time goes by.

Sobering account of what happens when logic goes out the door to pursue the Holy Grail of being top dog whatever the cost.Very well balanced. Very enjoyable read. Hard to put down. Rate it.

This book is a great history of steroids and sports supplements in America. A very enjoyable read that I didn’t want to put down.

Exciting but could tell more about known cases. Especially Marion Jones, Tim Montgomery and Floyd Landis. All in all a good read.

Excellent

Excellent book that gives insight into the world of steroids. Discusses politics, business, and dangers of steroid trade at the national and international level.

Great book on the drugs that fuel professional sports. It is really an eye opener on how common steroid use is in college and pro sports. Excellent read.

If like me you grew up in 80's and were into fitness/BB this book brought back so many memories, excellent read.

It’s as described

Useful for A level PE

very well written,

As steroids become increasingly popular in the UK and playing sport myself i was drawn to this book to see how it had affected the people and a nation that had used steroids, supplements and other performance enhancing products for many years.This book is an eye opener. I was pleased to discover it wasn't an outright attack on a product which. As many people (Doctors included) would agree. Can be used safely to attain the gains a person desires. As with the book I would not for one second promote steroid use or outright condem it. Although highlighted throughout the book are harrowing stories of how prolonged, excessive steroid use can affect someone.It is shocking the depth that this drug has gone in the USA where not only professional athletes are taking it under medical supervision for an "edge" but also high school athletes and even high school kids looking to improve their physiques are taking what can be a very dangerous drug.Even more shocking is what the book highlights about legal supplements and how these can have a similar and in some cases worse negative affect.If you are an athlete, body builder, fitness enthusiast or even if you are someone who is interested in sociology you MUST buy this book. Honest, frank and impartial this book is an utter joy to read. You will not want to put it down!!!