Tweet
USC Medical School Chair Says Anabolic Steroids Promote Premeditated Violence
Professor Ruth Wood, the chair of the Department of Cell and Neurobiology at the University of Southern California (USC) Keck School of Medicine, thinks that popular culture has got “roid rage” all wrong. She still believes “roid rage” is a real phenomenon. And she believes steroids cause aggression. It's just not impulsive and uncontrolled like most people believe.
“The popular image of ’roid-rage is a sudden and exaggerated response to a minimal provocation, like 'The Incredible Hulk,'” according to Wood. “But that’s not how it works. Instead, studies in animals show that steroid-induced aggression is not impulsive, nor uncontrolled. Steroid-treated rats remain attuned to the context of the fight: who their opponent is and where the fight takes place. This suggests that anabolic steroids can promote not only spur-of-the-moment aggression, but also premeditated violence.”
In a recent op-ed article written for the Los Angeles Times, Woods thinks too much attention is given to the adverse side effects that steroids have on the on the heart, liver and reproductive system. Wood thinks we should be more terrified about the adverse effects that steroids have on the brain than any side effects they may have on the body.
Specifically, Wood believes anabolic steroids are dangerous because they promote premeditated violence in users. As proof of this, she blamed anabolic steroids for the actions of two mass murderers – Omar Mateen and Anders Breivik.
“These cold-blooded killings should tell us that even the direst health warnings about steroids — damage to the heart, liver, and reproductive system — don’t go far enough. It’s what anabolic steroids do to the brain that can be truly terrifying.”
What is truly terrifying is Wood's failure to remain neutral and objective when attempting interpret the scientific literature on the topic of steroids and aggression. Few researchers would dare to suggest there was a direct causal connection between anabolic steroids and the mass murders committed by Mateen and Breivik. Wood's suggestion that steroids “promote” mass murder seems to draw such a connection.
Breivik murdered 77 individuals in a terrorist attack that took place in Norway in July 2011. He wrote extensively about the use of anabolic steroids in the 1,500 page manifesto “2083: A European Declaration of Independence”. He admitted doing a steroid cycle that included 4 weeks of Dianabol and 2 weeks of Winstrol in preparation for his attack.
Mateen murdered 49 individuals in a terrorist attack that took place at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida in June 2016. Mateen's ex-wife and a few other individuals who knew Mateen claimed he had a history of steroid use. An anonymous U.S. law enforcement official claimed that Mateen was “likely a long-term user of steroids”.
Wood's attempt to directly connect anabolic steroids to the mass murders committed by Breivik and Mateen is quite a leap to make from her research on rats. It's a good way to lose respect and credibility within the scientific community as well. On the other hand, Wood has nothing to worry about if she is pandering to anti-steroid and anti-doping crusaders. They will love her.
Professor Ruth Wood, the chair of the Department of Cell and Neurobiology at the University of Southern California (USC) Keck School of Medicine, thinks that popular culture has got “roid rage” all wrong. She still believes “roid rage” is a real phenomenon. And she believes steroids cause aggression. It's just not impulsive and uncontrolled like most people believe.
“The popular image of ’roid-rage is a sudden and exaggerated response to a minimal provocation, like 'The Incredible Hulk,'” according to Wood. “But that’s not how it works. Instead, studies in animals show that steroid-induced aggression is not impulsive, nor uncontrolled. Steroid-treated rats remain attuned to the context of the fight: who their opponent is and where the fight takes place. This suggests that anabolic steroids can promote not only spur-of-the-moment aggression, but also premeditated violence.”
In a recent op-ed article written for the Los Angeles Times, Woods thinks too much attention is given to the adverse side effects that steroids have on the on the heart, liver and reproductive system. Wood thinks we should be more terrified about the adverse effects that steroids have on the brain than any side effects they may have on the body.
Specifically, Wood believes anabolic steroids are dangerous because they promote premeditated violence in users. As proof of this, she blamed anabolic steroids for the actions of two mass murderers – Omar Mateen and Anders Breivik.
“These cold-blooded killings should tell us that even the direst health warnings about steroids — damage to the heart, liver, and reproductive system — don’t go far enough. It’s what anabolic steroids do to the brain that can be truly terrifying.”
What is truly terrifying is Wood's failure to remain neutral and objective when attempting interpret the scientific literature on the topic of steroids and aggression. Few researchers would dare to suggest there was a direct causal connection between anabolic steroids and the mass murders committed by Mateen and Breivik. Wood's suggestion that steroids “promote” mass murder seems to draw such a connection.
Breivik murdered 77 individuals in a terrorist attack that took place in Norway in July 2011. He wrote extensively about the use of anabolic steroids in the 1,500 page manifesto “2083: A European Declaration of Independence”. He admitted doing a steroid cycle that included 4 weeks of Dianabol and 2 weeks of Winstrol in preparation for his attack.
Mateen murdered 49 individuals in a terrorist attack that took place at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida in June 2016. Mateen's ex-wife and a few other individuals who knew Mateen claimed he had a history of steroid use. An anonymous U.S. law enforcement official claimed that Mateen was “likely a long-term user of steroids”.
Wood's attempt to directly connect anabolic steroids to the mass murders committed by Breivik and Mateen is quite a leap to make from her research on rats. It's a good way to lose respect and credibility within the scientific community as well. On the other hand, Wood has nothing to worry about if she is pandering to anti-steroid and anti-doping crusaders. They will love her.