What they are
Anabolic steroids are synthetic (man-made) versions of testosterone, the main male sex hormone, needed to develop and maintain male traits such as facial hair, a deep voice and muscle growth. Women have testosterone too, in much smaller amounts.
Medical uses
Providers use them to treat some hormone problems in men, delayed puberty, and muscle loss from some diseases.
Misuse
Some bodybuilders and athletes misuse them to build muscle and boost performance — swallowing tablets or capsules, injecting them into muscle, or rubbing on a gel or cream. Their doses may be 10 to 100 times higher than medical doses. Using them this way, without a prescription, is neither legal nor safe.
Health effects of misuse
Especially over a long time, misuse is linked with:
- acne; stunted growth in teens;
- high blood pressure and changes in cholesterol;
- heart problems, including heart attack;
- liver disease, including cancer;
- kidney damage;
- mood changes, such as irritability and aggression.
| In men | In women |
|---|---|
| baldness | changes in the menstrual cycle |
| breast growth | growth of body and facial hair |
| low sperm count, infertility | male-pattern baldness |
| shrinking testicles | a deeper voice |
| testicular cancer | smaller breasts |
Addiction
They don't cause a high, but they can be addictive. Stopping can bring withdrawal:
- fatigue, restlessness, loss of appetite, sleep problems;
- lower sex drive and steroid cravings;
- depression, which can be serious — even leading to suicide attempts.
Behavioral therapy and medicines can help treat steroid addiction.
Sources
Based on the MedlinePlus health topic "Anabolic Steroids," National Library of Medicine, drawing on the National Institute on Drug Abuse; a work of the United States government in the public domain.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
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