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A Guide for Understanding the Dangers of Anabolic
Steroids
March 2004
What
are anabolic steroids?
Anabolic steroids are synthetically produced
variants of the naturally occurring male hormone testosterone. Both
males and females have testosterone produced in their bodies: males in
the testes, and females in the ovaries and other tissues. The full name
for this class of drugs is androgenic (promoting masculine
characteristics) anabolic (tissue building) steroids (the
class of drugs). Some of the most abused steroids include Deca-Durabolinâ
, Durabolin â , Equipoiseâ
, and Winstrolâ . The common street (slang)
names for anabolic steroids include arnolds, gym candy, pumpers, roids,
stackers, weight trainers, and juice.
Why do people abuse steroids?
Anabolic steroids are primarily used by bodybuilders, athletes, and
fitness "buffs" who claim steroids give them a competitive
advantage and/or improve their physical performance. Steroids are
purported to increase lean body mass, strength and aggressiveness.
Steroids are also believed to reduce recovery time between workouts,
which makes it possible to train harder and thereby further improve
strength and endurance. Some people who are not athletes also take
steroids to increase their endurance, muscle size and strength, and
reduce body fat which they believe improves personal appearance.
Where do you get steroids?
Doctors may prescribe steroids to patients for legitimate medical
purposes such as loss of function of testicles, breast cancer, low red
blood cell count, delayed puberty and debilitated states resulting from
surgery or sickness. Veterinarians administer steroids to animals (e.g.
cats, cattle, dogs, and horses) for legitimate purposes such as to
promote feed efficiency, and to improve weight gain, vigor, and hair
coat. They are also used in veterinary practice to treat anemia and
counteract tissue breakdown during illness and trauma. For purposes of
illegal use there are several sources; the most common illegal source is
from smuggling steroids into the United States from other countries such
as Mexico and European countries. Smuggling from these areas is easier
because a prescription is not required for the purchase of steroids.
Less often steroids found in the illicit market are diverted from
legitimate sources (e.g. thefts or inappropriate prescribing) or
produced in clandestine laboratories.
How are steroids taken?
Anabolic steroids dispensed for legitimate medical purposes are
administered several ways including intramuscular or subcutaneous
injection, by mouth, pellet implantation under the skin and by
application to the skin (e.g. gels or patches). These same routes are
used for purposes of abusing steroids, with injection and oral
administration being the most common. People abusing steroids may take
anywhere from 1 to upwards of a 100 times normal therapeutic doses of
anabolic steroids. This often includes taking two or more steroids
concurrently, a practice called "stacking." Abusers will often
alternate periods (6 to 16 weeks in length) of high dose use of steroids
with periods of low dose use or no drug at all. This practice is called
"cycling."
Doses of anabolic steroids used will depend on the particular
objectives of the steroid user. Athletes (middle or high school,
college, professional, and Olympic) usually take steroids for a limited
period of time to achieve a particular goal. Others such as
bodybuilders, law enforcement officers, fitness buffs, and body guards
usually take steroids for extended periods of time. The length of time
that steroids stay in the body varies from a couple of days to more than
12 months.
Physical & psychological
dangers
There is increasing concern regarding possible serious health
problems that are associated with the abuse of steroids, including both
short-term and long-term side effects. The short-term adverse physical
effects of anabolic steroid abuse are fairly well known. Short-term side
effects may include sexual and reproductive disorders, fluid retention,
and severe acne. The short-term side effects in men are reversible with
discontinuation of steroid use.
Masculinizing effects seen in women, such as deepening of the voice,
body and facial hair growth, enlarged clitoris, and baldness are not
reversible. The long-term adverse physical effects of anabolic steroid
abuse in men and in women, other than masculinizing effects, have not
been studied, and as such, are not known. However, it is speculated that
possible long-term effects may include adverse cardiovascular effects
such as heart damage and stroke.
Possible physical side effects include the following:
- High blood cholesterol levels - high blood cholesterol levels may
lead to cardiovascular problems
- Severe acne
- Thinning of hair and baldness
- Fluid retention
- High blood pressure
- Liver disorders (liver damage and jaundice)
- Steroids can affect fetal development during pregnancy
- Risk of contracting HIV and other blood-borne diseases from
sharing infected needles
- Sexual & reproductive disorders:
Males |
Females |
- Atrophy (wasting away of tissues or
organs) of the testicles
- Loss of sexual drive
- Diminished or decreased sperm production
- Breast and prostate enlargement
- Decreased hormone levels
- Sterility
|
- Menstrual irregularities
- Infertility
- Masculinizing effects such as facial
hair, diminished breast size, permanently deepened voice, and
enlargement of the clitoris.
|
Possible psychological disturbances include the following:
- Mood swings (including manic-like symptoms leading to violence)
- Impaired judgment (stemming from feelings of invincibility)
- Depression
- Nervousness
- Extreme irritability
- Delusions
- Hostility and aggression
Laws and penalties for anabolic steroid
abuse
The Anabolic Steroids Control Act of 1990 placed anabolic steroids
into Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) as of February
27, 1991. Under this legislation, anabolic steroids are defined as any drug or
hormonal substance chemically and pharmacologically related to
testosterone (other than estrogens, progestins, and corticosteroids)
that promotes muscle growth.
The possession or sale of anabolic steroids without a valid
prescription is illegal. Simple possession of illicitly obtained
anabolic steroids carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a
minimum $1,000 fine if this is an individual’s first drug offense. The
maximum penalty for trafficking is five years in prison and a fine of
$250,000 if this is the individual’s first felony drug offense. If
this is the second felony drug offense, the maximum period of
imprisonment and the maximum fine both double. While the above listed
penalties are for federal offenses, individual states have also
implemented fines and penalties for illegal use of anabolic steroids.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), National Collegiate
Athletic Association (NCAA), and many professional sports leagues (e.g.
Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, National
Football League (NFL), and National Hockey League) have banned the use
of steroids by athletes, both because of their potential dangerous side
effects and because they give the user an unfair advantage. The IOC,
NCAA, and NFL have also banned the use of steroid precursors (e.g.
androstenedione) by athletes for the same reason steroids were banned.
The IOC and professional sports leagues use urine testing to detect
steroid use both in and out of competition.
Steroid alternatives
A variety of non-steroid drugs are commonly found within the illicit
anabolic steroid market. These substances are primarily used for one or
more of the following reasons: 1) to serve as an alternative to anabolic
steroids; 2) to alleviate short-term adverse effects associated with
anabolic steroid use; or 3) to mask anabolic steroid use. Examples of
drugs serving as alternatives to anabolic steroids include clenbuterol,
human growth hormone, insulin, insulin-like growth factor, and gamma-hydroxybutyrate
(GHB). Examples of drugs used to treat the short-term adverse effects of
anabolic steroid abuse are erythropoietin, human chorionic gonadotropin
(HCG), and tamoxifen. Also, diuretics and uricosuric agents may be used
to mask steroid use.
Over the last few years, a number of metabolic precursors to either
testosterone or nandrolone have been marketed as dietary supplements in
the U.S. These dietary supplements can be purchased in health food
stores without a prescription. Some of these substances include
androstenedione, androstenediol, norandrostenedione, norandrostenediol,
and dehydroepiandtrosterone (DHEA), which can be converted into
testosterone or a similar compound in the body. Whether they promote
muscle growth is not known.
Are anabolic steroids addictive?
An undetermined percentage of steroid abusers may become addicted to
the drug, as evidenced by their continuing to take steroids in spite of
physical problems, negative effects on social relations, or nervousness
and irritability. Steroid users can experience withdrawal symptoms such
as mood swings, fatigue, restlessness, and depression. Untreated, some
depressive symptoms associated with anabolic steroid withdrawal have
been known to persist for a year or more after the abuser stops taking
the drugs.
How can we curtail their use?
The most important aspect to curtailing abuse is education concerning
dangerous and harmful side effects, and symptoms of abuse. Athletes and
others must understand that they can excel in sports and have a great
body without steroids. They should focus on getting proper diet, rest,
and good overall mental and physical health. These things are all
factors in how the body is shaped and conditioned. Millions of people
have excelled in sports and look great without steroids. For additional
information on steroids please see our website at
www.DEAdiversion.usdoj.gov
Presented as a public
service by:
Drug Enforcement Administration
Office of Diversion Control
Washington, D.C. 20537
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