steroids

What is (Anabolic) Steroids?

Steroids are medicines with very strong anti-inflammatory effects. They can reduce inflammation (redness, swelling and soreness). Steroids are helpful for many conditions, such as asthma and arthritis. They come in pills, sprays, creams and ointments. The creams and ointments can help some skin conditions.  The main type of steroid abused is anabolic steroids.  More than 100 different anabolic steroids have been developed.             Anabolic steroids are hormones.  Most anabolic steroids are similar in structure to testosterone, the most common male hormone that is responsible for the male sex changes that occur during puberty.  There is no such thing as a "pure" anabolic steroid that has only Anabolic (muscle building) properties.  The challenge is to have enough of the steroid to get the beneficial anabolic effects without the unwanted androgenic side effects.             Anabolic steroids come in both oral and injectable form. For an anabolic steroid to work, it must be present in the blood in a reasonable concentration. To stop the liver from rapidly metabolizing (breaking down) the steroid, oral steroids are modified. Injectable steroids have also been modified.  They are injected with oil to slow absorption and initially, they bypass the liver.  Eventually all steroids are broken down by the liver and excreted in the urine and feces (hence urine testing of athletes).             Anabolic steroids were developed in the late 1930s primarily to treat 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 away 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 the use of the compound first by bodybuilders and weightlifters, and then by athletes in other sports. Steroid abuse has become so widespread in athletics that it affects the outcome of sports contests.

How are Steroids used?

            Some anabolic steroids are taken orally, others are injected intramuscularly, and still others are provided in gels or creams that are rubbed on the skin. Doses taken by abusers can be 10 to 100 times higher than the doses used for medical conditions.  Oral steroids can be detected up to several weeks after use, while injected steroids can be detected for several months after use.

            Steroid abusers typically "stack" the drugs, meaning that they take two or more different anabolic steroids, mixing oral and/or injectable types and sometimes even including compounds that are designed for veterinary use.  Abusers think that the different steroids interact to produce an effect on muscle size that is greater than the effects of each drug individually, a theory that has not been tested scientifically.

            Often, steroid abusers also "pyramid" their doses in cycles of 6 to 12 weeks. At the beginning of a cycle, the person starts with low doses of the drugs being stacked and then slowly increases the doses. In the second half of the cycle, the doses are slowly decreased to zero. This is sometimes followed by a second cycle in which the person continues to train but without drugs. Abusers believe that pyramiding allows the body time to adjust to the high doses and the drug-free cycle allows the body's hormonal system time to recuperate. As with stacking, the perceived benefits of pyramiding and cycling have not been substantiated scientifically.

Consequences of Steroids.

In Males:      Testicles May Become Sterile (Shrinkage)      Abnormal Breast Development      Stunted Growth      Premature Balding      Severe Acne      Elevated Cholesterol Levels      Elevated Blood Pressure      Cancer In Females:      Increased Body Hair      A Deeper Voice      Smaller Breasts      Fewer Menstrual Cycles      Stunted Growth      Severe Acne      Elevated Blood Pressure      Elevated Cholesterol Levels      Cancer

            As a result liver problems and other side effects are common and sometimes other drugs are taken in an attempt to reduce this. Uncontrollable aggression, known as "Roid Rage," may also occur in the behavior of those who use anabolic steroids.  Also, people have been infected with HIV, hepatitis B and C from sharing injecting equipment.  All major athletic competitions disqualify competitors who use steroids.  

Legal status.

            It is illegal to possess anabolic steroids without a prescription.  Like other illegal drugs, they can be obtained on the "black market" but may also be mixed with other substances.  Most steroids that are used illegally are smuggled in from other countries, illegally diverted from U.S. pharmacies, or synthesized in laboratories.

            Under federal laws and laws under many states, selling steroids or possessing them with the intent to sell, is a felony.  An individual who sells steroids, or possesses with intent to sell, is punishable up to five years in prison under federal law.  Individual states differs in sentencing, however, a person may be prosecuted under either, depending on what agency is responsible for the arrest.  The fastest growing way to get busted for personal steroid use is by ordering them by mail.  Those who use mail order (usually over the Internet) run the risk of the delivery being intercepted.