Anabolic Steroid Abuse

• What are anabolic steroids?
• What are steroidal supplements?
• What is the scope of steroid use in the United States?
• Why do people abuse anabolic steroids?
• How are anabolic steroids abused?
• What are the health consequences of steroid abuse?
• What effects do anabolic steroids have on behavior?
• Are anabolic steroids addictive?
• What can be done to prevent steroid abuse?
• What treatments are effective for anabolic steroid abuse?
• Where can I get further scientific information about steroid abuse?

Steroid Abuse Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR and Jay W. Marks, MD Steroids are a class of compounds that share a similar chemical structure. This broad group of chemicals includes many normal substances in the body (such as cholesterol), vitamins (vitamin D), hormones (for example, the sex hormones and their derivatives), and drugs given to treat inflammation (hydrocortisone, prednisone). The adrenal glands secrete a number of steroid hormones, known as corticosteroids, that are important for the maintenance of blood pressure, blood glucose levels, salt and water balance, and other critical body processes. However, when we speak of steroid abuse by athletes, doctors are referring to the misuse of the so-called "anabolic steroids," which are manufactured drugs similar to the male sex hormone testosterone. The term anabolic refers to the muscle-building properties of these man-made substances. Available legally only by prescription, anabolic steroids are sometimes prescribed by doctors to treat conditions in which testosterone levels are abnormally low, or in certain chronic conditions such as AIDS that are associated with loss of muscle mass. Learn more about steroid side effects » Top Searched Steroid Abuse Terms: athletes, drug abuse, side effects, treatment, symptoms, teens, consequences

What are anabolic steroids?

"Anabolic steroids" is the familiar name for synthetic substances related to the male sex hormones (e.g., testosterone). They promote the growth of skeletal muscle (anabolic effects) and the development of male sexual characteristics (androgenic effects) in both males and females. The term "anabolic steroids" will be used throughout this report because of its familiarity, although the proper term for these compounds is "anabolic-androgenic steroids."

Anabolic steroids were developed in the late 1930s primarily to treat hypogonadism, a condition in which the testes do not produce sufficient testosterone for normal growth, development, and sexual functioning. The primary medical uses of these compounds are to treat delayed puberty, some types of impotence, and wasting of the body caused by HIV infection or other diseases.

During the 1930s, scientists discovered that anabolic steroids could facilitate the growth of skeletal muscle in laboratory animals, which led to abuse of the compounds first by bodybuilders and weightlifters and then by athletes in other sports. Steroid abuse has become so widespread in athletics that it can affect the outcome of sports contests.

Illicit steroids are often sold at gyms, competitions, and through mail order operations after being smuggled into this country. Most illegal steroids in the United States are smuggled from countries that do not require a prescription for the purchase of steroids. Steroids are also illegally diverted from U.S. pharmacies or synthesized in clandestine laboratories.

What are steroidal supplements?

In the United States, supplements such as tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) and androstenedione (street name "Andro") previously could be purchased legally without a prescription through many commercial sources, including health food stores. Steroidal supplements can be converted into testosterone or a similar compound in the body. Less is known about the side effects of steroidal supplements, but if large quantities of these compounds substantially increase testosterone levels in the body, then they also are likely to produce the same side effects as anabolic steroids themselves. The purchase of these supplements, with the notable exception of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), became illegal after the passage in 2004 of amendments to the Controlled Substances Act.

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