Steroids (Anabolic-androgenic)

Brief Description

Anabolic-androgenic steroids are manmade substances related to male sex hormones. “Anabolic” refers to muscle building, and “androgenic” refers to increased masculine characteristics. “Steroids” refers to the class of drugs. Today, athletes and others abuse anabolic steroids to enhance performance and also to improve physical appearance.

Anabolic steroids are taken orally or injected, typically in cycles of weeks or months (referred to as “cycling”). In addition, users often combine several different types of steroids to maximize their effectiveness while minimizing negative effects (referred to as “stacking”).

Effects

Major effects of steroid abuse can occur due to hormone imbalances in the body. In males, adverse effects may include shrinking of the testicles and breast development. In females, adverse effects may include growth of facial hair, menstrual changes, and deepened voice. In teenagers, growth may be halted prematurely and permanently. Other adverse effects can include severe acne, high blood pressure and jaundice. In some rare cases liver and kidney tumors or even cancer may develop. In addition, people who inject anabolic steroids run the added risk of contracting or transmitting HIV/AIDS or hepatitis, which causes serious damage to the liver.