Uses Drugs of Abuse—Origins and Effects - Anabolic Steroids

Anabolic steroids are drugs derived from the male sex hormone testosterone. They are used illegally by some athletes, including weight lifters, bodybuilders, long-distance runners, cyclists, and others who believe that these drugs can give them a competitive advantage or improve their physical appearance. When used in combination with exercise training and a high-protein diet, anabolic steroids can lead to increased size and strength of muscles, improved endurance, and shorter recovery time between workouts.

Steroids are taken orally or by intramuscular injection. Most are smuggled into the United States and sold at gyms and competitions or by mail-order companies. The most commonly used steroids include boldenone (Equipoise), ethylestrenol (Maxibolin), fluoxymesterone (Halotestin), methandriol, methandrostenolone (Dianabol), methyltestosterone, nandrolone (Durabolin, Deca-Durabolin), oxandrolone (Anavar), oxymetholone (Anadrol), stanozolol (Winstrol), testosterone, and trenbolone (Finajet).

Steroid use was once considered a problem limited to professional athletes, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in 2004 that 5 to 12% of male high school students and 1% of female students use steroids by the time they are seniors. Concerns about the drug led Congress, in 1991, to place anabolic steroids into Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act.

Because concern about anabolic steroids is relatively recent, the adverse effects of large doses are not well established. Nonetheless, there is growing evidence of serious health problems, including cardiovascular damage, liver damage, and harm to reproductive organs. The Department of Justice and the DEA's Diversion Control Program lists the effects of steroids on its Web site (http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/brochures/steroids/hidden/). Physical side effects include elevated blood pressure and cholesterol levels, severe acne, premature balding, reduced sexual desire, and atrophying of the testicles. Males may develop breasts, while females may experience a deepening of the voice, increased body-hair growth, fewer menstrual cycles, and diminished breast size. Some of these effects can be irreversible. In adolescents, bone development may stop, causing stunted growth. Some users become violently aggressive.

By the early 2000s, some professional sports agencies had begun to acknowledge that widespread steroid use was taking place in their ranks. In 2005 Major League Baseball initiated regular testing of players for steroid use.