| Types, General effects, conceptions & | | | | patients receiving corticosteroid therapy. |
| misconceptions: | | | | |
| | | | - Stimulating bone marrow function in |
| Anabolic steroids, also known as | | | | hypoplastic anemia i.e. anemia resulting from |
| anabolic-androgenic steroids or AAS, are a | | | | inadequately functioning bone marrow |
| class of steroid hormones related to the | | | | |
| hormone testosterone. Earlier, when | | | | However, they are not "as good" as they |
| testosterone was found to build muscle tissue | | | | appear to be. These steroids are notorious |
| and to cause the development of male | | | | when abused, and side effects of anabolic |
| secondary sex characteristics, medical | | | | steroids can be serious. Many wanna-be macho |
| researchers tried to use testosterone to | | | | men and athletes aiming to improve their |
| treat diseases that caused the loss of muscle | | | | strength, stamina, and speed or body size |
| mass. Unfortunately, testosterone in its | | | | have always abused them. Steroids appear to |
| natural form has a half life of only about | | | | work by decreasing the amount of time |
| ten minutes in the body. So, medicinal | | | | necessary for recovering between bouts of |
| chemists began to alter natural testosterone | | | | exercise. Because of this, trainees can |
| in an attempt to make drugs that would work | | | | exercise more often, or more intensely, |
| like testosterone but last long enough in the | | | | without overwhelming the body's ability to |
| body to have an effect and they came up with | | | | adapt. |
| today's "kewl" steroids which can either be | | | | |
| taken orally, injected in veins or applied as | | | | Conceptions & Misconceptions about |
| skin patches. | | | | Anabolic Steroids |
| | | | |
| Anabolic steroids also have androgenic and | | | | There are also many popular misconceptions |
| virilizing (giving a masculine appearance or | | | | concerning their effects and side effects: |
| character) properties, including the | | | | |
| development and maintenance of masculine | | | | - One popular misconception is that |
| characteristics such as the growth of the | | | | anabolic steroids can shrink the male penis. |
| vocal cords and body hair. | | | | It is possible that this idea came from |
| | | | temporary side effect that anabolic steroids |
| General effects of Anabolic Steroids: | | | | have on testicle size (testicular atrophy). |
| | | | |
| Anabolic steroids are widely used for diverse | | | | - Other purported side effects include the |
| array of medicinal purposes, including: | | | | idea that anabolic steroids have caused many |
| | | | teenagers to commit suicide. While lower |
| - Stimulating protein anabolism in | | | | levels of testosterone have been known to |
| debilitating illness and in acute renal | | | | cause depression but the idea of suicides |
| failure. | | | | remain unproven. |
| | | | |
| - Promoting growth in children with | | | | - Aggression is frequently discussed as a |
| pituitary dwarfism & other growth | | | | possible side effect of anabolic steroids. |
| disorders. | | | | Testosterone levels are indeed associated |
| | | | with aggression and hypomania, but the link |
| - The retention of nitrogen and calcium | | | | between other anabolic steroids and |
| may benefit patients with Osteoporosis and | | | | aggression remains unclear. |