What are steroids ? - Anabolic steroids side effects

March 17, 2008

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You may have heard them called ‘roids, juice, hype, or pump. Anabolic steroids are powerful drugs that many people take in high doses to boost athletic performance. Anabolic means “building body tissue.” Anabolic steroids help build muscle tissue and increase body mass by acting like the body’s natural male hormone, testosterone.

Lower doses of anabolic steroids sometimes are used to treat a handful of very serious medical conditions. They should not be confused with corticosteroids, which are used to treat common medical conditions such as asthma and arthritis. Corticosteroids are strong medications, but do not have muscle-building effects. Anabolic steroids are the ones abused by athletes and others who want a shortcut to becoming bigger and stronger.

Who uses steroids?

In the past, steroid use was seen mostly in college, Olympic, and professional sports. Today, steroids are being used by athletes as well as nonathletes, in high schools and middle schools. Most major professional and amateur athletic organizations have banned steroids for use by their athletes. These organizations include the International Olympic Committee, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and the National Football League (NFL).

Most commonly, steroid use can be found among the following groups:

Athletes involved in sports that rely on strength and size, like football, wrestling, or baseball
Endurance athletes, such as those involved in track-and-field and swimming
Athletes involved in weight training or bodybuilding
Anyone interested in building and defining muscles

How are steroids used?

Steroids can be taken in the following two ways:

By mouth (pills)
Injected with a needle (Athletes who share needles to inject steroids also are at risk for serious infections including Hepatitis B and HIV, the AIDS virus.)

Some athletes take even higher doses, called “megadoses,” to produce faster results. Others gradually increase the amount they take over time, which is called “pyramiding.” Taking different kinds of anabolic steroids, possibly along with other drugs, is a particularly dangerous practice known as “stacking.”

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Warning! Articles related to the use of illegal performance enhancing drugs are for information purposes only and are the sole expressions of the individual authors opinion. Steroids.ro do not promote the use of these substances and the information contained within this publication is not intended to persuade or encourage the use or possession of illegal substances. These substances should be used only under the advice and supervision of a qualified, licensed physician.