Steroids

The first performance enhancing drugs I'll talk about are Anabolic and androgenic steroids. Anabolic and androgenic steroids are synthetic drugs that duplicate male sex hormones such as testosterone. "Anabolic" is a muscle building steroid, and "androgenic" is built to increase masculinity. Steroids are a class of drugs. Steroids are only legal when prescribed. They are used on patients who have problems such as delayed puberty. Other uses for steroids include treatment of allergies, impotence, and asthma. Doctors also prescribe steroids to patients who have AIDS to stop the loss of muscle mass which is a problem for AIDS victims, other diseases also cause loss of muscle mass and sometimes are treated with steroids.

Since 1976 steroids have been used to enhance performance athletically. They are also used by bodybuilders to put on muscle mass. There are two ways to take anabolic steroids. One way is orally the other is by injection. Like many other performance enhancing drugs they are taken in cycles. These cycles are months and sometimes weeks. They are designed so that the body does not stop producing the hormone or nutrient in other cases naturally. Another reason for this is to reduce the negative affects of steroids. Steroid users often take several different steroids to maximize the results. This is known as "stacking".

Many sports organizations have taken action to prevent the use of steroids by giving random drug tests. As drug tests become more and more common so do the ways of covering up the use. A very common way of covering up steroid use is by using oral steroids which are usually untraceable after two weeks. Another way that is used is by taking other drugs that dilute the urine to pass the drug tests.

All in all steroids are not worth the risk. Side effects like these prove it. In males use of steroids because shrinking of testicles, reduced sperm count, increased risk of baldness, increased risk of prostate cancer, weakened tendons, liver damage, premature heart attacks or strokes, and development of breasts. In woman steroids also have non intriguing side effects such as, male pattern baldness, changes is or pause of menstrual cycle, enlargement of the clitoris and deepened voice. Adolescence also has disturbing side effects such as, a halt in growth prematurely and accelerated puberty. Another side effect that affects all users is a mental problem

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