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My research topic was how body dysmorphia affects the skeletal system. This research topic ties into the course objective “Explain how bone development is hormonally regulated”. I decided to focus on the usage of steroids or performance enhancing drugs, which is a form of body dysmorphia as male and female athletes will take to achieve the “perfect” physique, and to become more muscular and attractive to the human eye. Steroids mimic naturally occurring hormones that regulate cells and nutrients that keep cells healthy, reduce inflammation, and promote growth, one of the bigger reasons people use steroids which is for muscle growth and recovery (Healthline 2024). Prolonged usage ultimately affects the skeletal system because steroids will suppress osteoblastic synthesis of matrix protein, bone formation, and increased bone resorption (Kenan 2024). This means that when a person uses steroids for a long amount of time, the steroids reduce the activity of osteoblasts, are bone building cells, and increase the activity of osteoclasts, our bone resorption cells. This can lead to an increased risk of fractures, breaks, and osteoporosis. Studies have been done on teenage and young males confirming that many of them will create a dependence for performance enhancing drugs to look as muscular as possible, despite them knowing the risks and negative side effects of these drugs (Scarthe 2024). This shows how difficult it can be to struggle with body dysmorphia, as sacrificing your healthy body and life seems necessary to gain the “perfect body”. I decided to make my art piece centered around the scientific reasoning that steroids lead the osteoporosis and increased fractures and breaks, I did this by first drawing two humans, one very physically fit and using steroids, and one that has a healthy amount of body fat, and may not fit societies standards of a “perfect body”. It will seem like the physically fit and muscular man is healthier than the flabby, average man, however that is not the case. On the other half of the men, I also drew their skeletal systems. The steroid user has a much darker, dirty looking skeleton with bone decay, fractures, and breaks throughout the skeleton, with extremely thin and frail looking bones. The average model on the other hand, has very thick, dense, healthy bones inside of him. These bones have neither decay nor fractures on them. This is because that man does not use or abuse steroids or other performance enhancing drugs, making his skeleton healthy and dense, compared to the man who does use steroids with the broken and decaying skeleton. To create my artwork, I utilized lots of shading and dark strokes to make certain parts of the human body pop, for example the muscles. On the left side, the steroid user, I used the thick point of the marker to create a slightly darker shade from the skin, to promote 3-D muscles that seemed to pop off the paper. I did this for the pectoral and abdominal muscles. I also used the same trick to create striations in the muscles, specifically in the quadriceps, forearms, deltoids, and biceps. Striations are a common occurring characteristic in body builders who use performance enhancing drugs, as well as maintaining an incredibly low body fat percentage. I believed this addition would help the viewer recognize which model was using steroids, as steroids are most associated with body builders and muscle growth. I also used shading on the regular model on the right, giving it a “dad bod” to also help the viewer distinguish the two models. I gave the model on the right a pot belly with stretch marks and sagging pectorals, signs of higher body fat percentage and someone who is not as concerned with muscle growth, to further help differentiate the two. I also used graphite to create a darker, decaying feel on the skeleton of the steroid user, as well as using a brown and green marker to simulate the same decaying feel at high activity areas such as the knee, ankle, shoulders, and elbows. Meanwhile, the normal model on the right keeps its white, dense, health skeleton.
Work Cited
Healthline Media. (n.d.). How do steroids cause osteoporosis?. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/osteoarthritis/how-do-steroids-cause-osteoporosis#steroids-and-osteoporosis
Kenan, S. (1970, January 1). Steroid-induced skeletal complications. Holland-Frei Cancer Medicine. 6th edition. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK12555/
Scarth, M., Westlye, L. T., Havnes, I. A., & Bjørnebekk, A. (2023, May 16). Investigating anabolic-androgenic steroid dependence and muscle dysmorphia with network analysis among male weightlifters – BMC psychiatry. BioMed Central. https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-023-04781-1
What you should know about steroids and osteoporosis. (n.d.). https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/1985/index.htm
It’s really interesting how steroids also play a role in bone decay. My project, about osteoarthritis, can also be hormonally regulated, similar to steroid use. I really like your bone portrayal. The fact that you can easily distinguish a healthy male to an unhealthy male is important in this project. I can easily understand the model on the left shows bone decay with the cracks and lower bone density. Although steroids have a ‘slimming’ effect, help lower body mass index (BMI), and increase muscle mass, they cause harm over time to the structure of the body. Not providing our body with the necessary nutrients is harmful over time, despite the immediate and short-term effect of steroids (i.e. reduced inflammation, growth, and to help regulate hormone production). Steroids produce short-term effects and as we age, hormone production decreases. The more steroid usage, the more hormone production, therefore more bone decay due to too much hormone. Overall, your project and description perfectly display steroid use and the effect on a healthy and unhealthy body.