What are steroids?
A: Steroids are a group of drugs that are
similar to a male hormone called
testosterone. Most people know that
some people who want to get bigger and
stronger in a hurry use steroids. These
steroids are called anabolic steroids,
which just means that they build muscle.
Another type of steroids are called
androgenic steroids; these make people
more masculine.
Q: What are some other uses for
steroids?
A: Doctors use steroids to treat people
who are slow to reach puberty, people
with some blood disorders, and those
with some types of breast cancer.
Steroids are also used by veterinarians to
treat animals.
Q: How are steroids taken?
A: Steroids can come in pills or capsules.
In these forms, people mix them with
liquids or simply swallow them. Steroids
can also be injected.
Q: Are steroids illegal?
A: Steroids are legal for use by
veterinarians and doctors. It is illegal to
sell or buy them on the street. When
steroids are sold on the street or in a
gym, they are often mixed with other
things and can be dangerous.
Steroids are also banned from amateur
sports like the Olympics and most
professional sports. Several Olympic
athletes have lost their medals after they
were tested and found to have used
steroids to bulk up.
Q: What are some of the effects of
steroids?
A: Steroids can make you less tired and
leave you more determined to exercise.
If that exercise is intense and done along
with a nutrition program, steroids can
increase lean muscle mass and strength.
Q: So what is the problem with them?
A: The problem is that steroids have side
effects, and none of them are very
pretty. Some known side effects are acne
(not just on the face, but all over the
body), high blood pressure, more
cholesterol in your body, and impotence.
Q: Are there different side effects if
you take a lot of steroids?
A: Yes. Besides the acne and the
impotence, people who take large doses
of steroids can lose control of their
emotions. They can be aggressive and
irritable, and may have a hard time
controlling their temper. Little things can
make them really angry; this is
sometimes called “roid rage.” Large doses
can also cause depression, sleep problems
and anxiety.
Because athletes who use steroids often
take doses five to 10 times the medical
amount, they are at risk for all these
effects. Some bodybuilders take doses
100 times larger than a doctor would give
a patient.
Q: What happens if these large doses
are taken regularly for months or
years?
A: Large doses taken as pills can cause
stomach aches, nausea and vomiting.
People who inject steroids and share
needles risk getting infections including
hepatitis and HIV, the virus that causes
AIDS.
Q: Are there different effects for men
and women? What about teenagers?
A: Teens who use high doses can have
their growth permanently stunted; they
might be bigger, but they are also
shorter.
Men can develop painful, enlarged
breasts and shrunken testicles. Women
often grow more facial and body hair.
They can also experience an enlarged
clitoris, reduced breast size, irregular
periods, deepened voices, and the kind of
pattern baldness that happens to males.
Many of these effects are permanent and
can’t be reversed.
Q: Are steroids addictive?
A: People who use steroids can develop a
dependence on them, and will go through
withdrawal when they stop using. They
may feel sick to their stomach, have
headaches, sweat a lot, feel dizzy and be
depressed.
Steroids may also be psychologically
addictive. Some people may feel like they
need to keep using them to stay
competitive in their sport, and may have
a hard time quitting because they’re
afraid of losing their edge.