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Other names:
Steroids, Roids, Juice, Gym Candy, Pumpers, Stackers, Balls or Bulls,
Arnolds, Arnies, A’s, Anabolics, Weight Trainers.Turnibol, Dianabol,
Durabolin, Oxandrin, Anadrol, Winstrol.
What it is supposed to do:
 | Enhance sports performance |
| Build muscle |
| Reduce body fat |
How it is supposed to work:
| Prevents breakdown of muscle and stimulates new muscle formation. |
| "Steroid Rush" – a state of euphoria and decreased fatigue
which allows the athlete to train harder and longer. |
Toxic effects:
| Heart disease, heart attacks, blood pressure elevation |
| Liver disease, cancer, testicular shrinkage, and irreversible breast
enlargement |
| Development of male characteristics in women |
| Stunts growth in children |
| Multiple skin effects including acne, oily hair & skin, cysts,
increased body hair and baldness, stretch marks, dermatitis, and skin
infections |
| Decrease in strength of muscle-tendon unit resulting in a greater tendency
for strains and rupture |
| Aggressive behavior, psychosis, mood changes, suicide. |
Some of the effects are irreversible.
Does it work?
Increases strength and muscle mass. Increase in thickness of muscle fibers.
Does not increase endurance performance. Testosterone levels naturally
diminish with age. Clinical studies are being conducted to determine if
replacement in the elderly population could reverse or slow down the process
of "Andropause".
Other information:
Illegal and punishable as a felony. Banned by the International Olympic
Committee, National Collegiate Athletic Association, National Football League
and other sports organizations.
Condemned by both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College
of Sports Medicine.
References:
- Koch, JJ. Performance-enhancing substances and their use among adolescent
athletes. Pediatrics in Review. September 2002;23(9):310-7.
- Greydanus, DE and Patel, DR. Sports doping in the adolescent athlete: The
hope, hype and hyperbole. Pediatric Clinics of North America. August 2002;
49(4):829-55.
- Congeni, J and Miller, S. Supplements and drugs used to enhance athletic
performance. Pediatric Clinics of North America. April 2002; 49(2):435-61.
- Johnson, WA, Landry, GL. Nutritional supplements: Facts vs. fiction.
Adolescent Medicine State of the Arts Reviews. October 1998;9(3);501-513.
- Ahrendt, DM. Ergogenic aids: counseling the athlete. American Family
Physician. March 2001;63(5):913-22.
- Blue, JG and Lombardo, JA. Nutritional aspects of exercise: Steroids and
steroid-like compounds. Clinics in Sports Medicine. July 1999;18(3):667-687.
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