What are anabolic steroids?

Anabolic steroids are synthetic hormones that contribute to the growth and repair of muscle tissue. They mimic the male sex hormone, testosterone.

There are legitimate medical uses for anabolic steroids. Doctors prescribe them to treat hormonal problems (such as delayed puberty in men or muscle loss caused by diseases like cancer or HIV).

Anabolic steroids are also misused. People who use anabolic steroids illegally often do so to increase lean muscle mass, reduce fat, and speed recovery from injury.

Anabolic steroids can come in the form of tablets, capsules, or injectable liquids, depending on the type of steroid.

Common slang terms for steroids include “roids,” “equipment,” and “juice.”

Anabolic steroids are classified as performance and image enhancing drugs (PIEDs).

How anabolic steroids affect the body.

People who use anabolic steroids usually experience a very rapid increase in muscle strength.

This generally means people are able to train more often and for longer periods, with better recovery.

This can often lead to a rapid increase in lean muscle tissue.

Fluid retention is also common and can make muscles look flabby or bloated.

Side effects of anabolic steroids.

The effects of using anabolic steroids may differ from person to person. Some people may experience:

-fluid retention (also called fluid retention or edema)
-Difficulty sleeping
-nerve damage from steroid injection
-irritability, mood swings, aggression or depression
-increased libido (libido)
-skin changes – acne that leads to scarring
-no more colds.
-Men may experience:

-shrinkage of the testicles and penis
-reduced sperm count
-erectile dysfunction (or impotence)
-prostate problems
-gynecomastia (breast development)
-baldness (patterned hair loss)
-involuntary and lasting erection.
-Women may experience:

-irregular menstrual cycle or loss of periods (amenorrhea)
-shrink breasts
-deep voice
-growth of facial and body hair (such as hirsutism)
-abnormal growth of the clitoris.
-Young people can experience:

-growth retardation
– premature baldness
-acne scars
-injury caused by excessive and intense training
-stretch marks on the chest and arms
-prematurely aged (or “leathery”) skin.

Long-term effects of anabolic steroids.

Anabolic steroids can produce many unpleasant and often permanent side effects, including:

-damage to the gonads (testicles or ovaries)
-liver disease
-dysfunctions of the kidneys, liver or heart
“roid rage,” characterized by uncontrollable outbursts of psychotic aggression
-paranoia and mood swings, including deep depression
-severe acne, which can cause scarring
-high blood cholesterol level
-high blood pressure (hypertension)
-tendon injuries that cannot keep up with increased strength—muscle
-delusional feelings of being superhuman or invincible.
-muscle tremors and tremors.
-nerve damage from needle use – this can lead to conditions such as sciatica
-unsafe use of needles can increase the risk of contracting infections such as hepatitis B and C, HIV and tetanus.

Mixing anabolic steroids with other medications.

A person who uses anabolic steroids may turn to other complementary medications.

They may do this either to speed up their physical transformation or to counter the side effects of steroids.

The dangers of mixing these medications are not fully known.

Some of these other medications may include:

amphetamines – to counteract feelings of deep depression and aid in fat loss
beta blockers – to combat tremors
diuretics – to combat water retention
human growth hormone – such as human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) to stimulate the body’s natural production of testosterone and counteract testicular shrinkage.