A growing problem in the world today is the use of antibiotics and growth hormones in the animal production industry. However, for over sixty years Americans have been regularly exposed to hormones when consuming beef. (Organic Consumers Association) On average eighty percent of all feedlot cattle are given hormones to help them grow at a faster rate. (Communication Foundation) “In 1988 the European Union banned the use of all hormone growth promoters”. (Organic Consumers Association)Today farmers use six anabolic steroids in various combinations. “Those anabolic steroids are osetradiol, progesterone, testosterone, zeranol, trenbolone, and melengestrol.” (Communication Foundation) Three natural steroids are also used. Natural steroids are estradiol, testosterone and progesterone. Three synthetic hormones are also used which include the estrogenic compound zeranol, the androgen trenbolone acetate, and the progestin melengestrol acetate. (Organic Consumers Association) However, when hormones are fed to cattle, some of the natural hormone levels may increase to seven to twenty times the normal level. Scientists have growing concerns about the use of hormones. Scientists worry about the use of hormones and their impact on the environment. Scientists also worry about hormones excreted in manure. Scientists say the hormones that enter the environment are found in soil and water supplies. (Communication Foundation) Scientists also say that the hormones used influence human development through the human reproductive system. “High levels of hormones can cause problems in the human body, but the hormones we ingest can actually alter our hormone levels… middle of paper… t. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Pub., 2006. Print. “Hormones.” Foundation for Communication, 2013. Web. 09 October 2013. Kellems, Richard O. and D. C. Church. Livestock Feed and Nutrition. 6th ed. Boston: Prentice Hall, 2010. Laliberte, Richard "Growth Hormones in Beef and Milk." WeightWatchers.com, nd Web. October 27, 2013. .Swan, S.H., J.W. Overstreet, C. Brazil, and N.E. Skakkebaek meat harms human health." Growth hormones fed to beef cattle harm human health. NP, May 2007. Web. 09 October 2013. Taylor, Robert E. and Thomas G. Fields. Scientific production of farm animals in Introduction to Animal Science. 8th Edition. New Jersey: Pearson Education, 200