Hi Sulafa,
Whether or not you’re currently using steroids, or just considering
it, you’re smart to seek out as much information as you can before
making a decision. Fortunately, there’s a lot out there to help you,
but it’s important that you take the time to read and evaluate all of
it, so your decision can be as informed as possible.
Since there are two sides to every story, and steroid use is no
exception, I’m going to do my best to give you information and links
to both sides of this question. That is, I’ll tell you about both
positive and negative effects of steroid use, in particular for
bodybuilders, as well as general information on both sides of the
issue. However, please see the disclaimer below, and allow me to
repeat that nothing I say should be understood in any way as a
substitute for professional medical advice. I would urge you to
consult a health professional with any personal concerns.
All right then, to begin, as you may know, steroids (which may also be
called “anabolic steroids” or “anabolic-androgenic steroids” or AS or
AAS) are basically male hormones, though they are synthetic rather
than natural, that is, they are made in a laboratory. They were
developed in the 1930s by doctors seeking to treat boys and men who
suffered a deficiency of testosterone, or the natural male hormone.
Steroids may be swallowed or injected, and are sometimes still used
medicinally to treat a few serious conditions, such as diabetes or
HIV, although they are no longer widely prescribed. (Don’t confuse
anabolic steroids with corticosteroids, which are different drugs,
used to treat asthma and arthritis among other things.)
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Here are some links to information on the history of anabolic
steroids, their medical uses, and general information:
Steroid Information
http://www.steroidinformation.com/
http://www.bodybuildingwatcher.com/links/showlinks.tpl?&category=Steroid&vtype=Steroid
“Do anabolic steroids have any legitimate medical uses?”
http://www.anabolicsmall.com/roida4a.htm
“Appetite Stimulants and Anabolic Steroid Therapy for AIDS Wasting”
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/416763 (*Note: this article from
Medscape and other I might link to may require you to register to be
able to read it. But registration is free, and will give you access
to a very large library of medical literature, so I encourage you to
go ahead and complete the registration process. These are scientific
papers, but don’t be put off by that – they do have useful information
and aren’t that difficult to follow even if you’re not a health
professional.)
“The Beneficial Effects of the Anabolic Steroid Oxandrolone in the
Geriatric Burn Population”
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/449961
“For the Very Ill Steroids Can Offer Hope”
http://timinvermont.com/veryill.htm
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Other than medicinal uses, of course, is the main benefit, or effect,
of using steroids, which is to increase muscle mass. And for this
use, anabolic steroids are indeed effective. Almost from the time they
were first developed in the 1930s, their ability to facilitate the
growth of lean muscle tissue and increase body mass created a demand
for them among bodybuilders and weightlifters, followed by athletes in
other sports. That demand continues today, and for the same reasons.
However, although steroids do increase muscle mass, and many
bodybuilders and other athletes believe they are helpful, the fact is
that scientific studies have shown that the use of anabolic steroids
do not enhance performance. Rather, it is the effect of training,
diet and motivation, used in conjunction with the drug use, which has
the most effect on performance.
Here are links to information about how steroids work and what they
do, and the names by which they are known.
“Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids: Mechanism of Action and Effect on
Performance”
http://www.sportsci.org/encyc/anabster/anabster.html
Common trade names of steroids:
http://www.musclechemistry.com/showthread/t-16150.html
UK article about steroids:
http://area51.upsu.plym.ac.uk/~harl/steroids.html
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Here are some links to discussions about steroid use in bodybuilding,
with positive and negative aspects:
“Mick Hart Training Systems” (UK leading bodybuilding expert)
http://www.mickhart.com/
“The Steroid Truth”
http://www.thesteroidtruth.com/noframes.htm
“The Steroid World”
http://www.steroidworld.com/intro.htm
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Information on (mostly negative) side effects of steroid use:
“Anabolic Steroids: Let’s Get the Facts Right:”
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/health-public-affairs/publications/steroids/pdf/anabolic-steroids.pdf
“Anabolic Steroids: Side Effects” from the Encyclopedia of Sports
Medicine and Science:
http://www.sportsci.org/encyc/anabstereff/anabstereff.html
“How Drugs Affect You: Anabolic Steroids:”
http://www.nevdgp.org.au/geninf/adf/anabolic.htm
“Physical and Psychological Risks of Anabolic Steroid Use:”
http://www.health.org/nongovpubs/steffects/
Steroids
http://www.egetgoing.com/Drug/5_9_1_8.asp
A report from the National Institutes of Health (NIH): “Anabolic
Steroids: A Threat to Mind and Body”
http://www.thebody.com/nih/steroids/steroid01.html
Medscape article: “Adverse Effects of Anabolic Steroids”
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/436283
“Chemical Warfare: The Dangers of Anabolic Steroids”
http://www.naturalstrength.com/steroids/default.asp
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There is one other side effect of using steroids that you may not have
thought of, but that you should probably take into account. That is
that in the U.S. (and many other countries) steroid use is illegal and
you might get arrested – just for using them, for supplying someone
else with them, and yes, even for ordering them by mail or over the
internet. However, there are still some places, notably the U.K.,
where it is legal to use steroids (as long as they have been
prescribed by a doctor), though not to supply them to others. It
would be best for you to know the law where you are. Here are some
links to information on the possible legal consequences of steroid
use:
Overview of U.S. Law:
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/eousa/foia_reading_room/usam/title4/civ00019.htm
“What Are the Legal Risks of Using Steroids?”
http://www.steroidtruth.com/steroid_law.htm
“Anabolic Steroids, Bodybuilding and the Law”
http://www.steroidlaw.com/
A Guide to Canada’s Drug Laws
http://www.aidslaw.ca/Maincontent/events/capacitybuilding/prairies_canadian_drug_laws.doc
General information:
http://www.alwaystestclean.com/Drug%20Definitions/steriods.htm
“Coming Off of Steroids:”
http://www.bodybuildinguniverse.com/steroids3.htm
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Some information on nutritional and other legal substitutes for
steroids:
“Hard Core Drug Free Bodybuilding”
http://www.hardcoredrugfreebodybuilding.com/index.html
Steroid Alternatives:
http://www.steroidalternatives.com/
Suncoast Herbs: Anabolic Steroid Alternatives:
http://www.suncoastherbs.com/anabolic-steroids.asp
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I hope this information gives you a good overview of the pros and cons
of steroid use, and addresses your concerns. If you don’t understand
something, please use the “Request Clarification” feature to ask
before rating and closing the question, so I can be sure you have what
you need to make an informed decision about steroids and their use.
Best regards,
Byrd
Search terms used:
steroids effects
“anabolic steroids” effects
“anabolic steroids” effects beneficial OR adverse
“anabolic steroids” “medicinal uses” OR “medical use”
“anabolic steroids” history
“anabolic steroids” names OR nomenclature
“how steroids work”
“what are steroids”
international steroid law OR laws OR legal
steroid alternative OR substitute OR “nutritional supplement”
In addition, since I am registered at Medscape (
http://www.medscape.com ) I used the search engine on that site to
search on steroids or “anabolic steroids.” |
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