drugtalk.myfreeforum.org

admin · Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2006 12:43 pm Post subject: What are they?

Steroids are drugs derived from hormones. Anabolic steroids are one group of these drugs.
Anabolic steroids - or more precisely, anabolic/androgenic steroids - belong to a group known as ergogenic, or so-called 'performance-enhancing,' drugs. They are synthetic derivatives of testosterone, a natural male hormone. 'Anabolic' means growing or building. 'Androgenic' means masculinizing or generating male sexual characteristics.

Medicinal uses

Anabolic steroids are used in small quantities by physicians for treating some types of anaemia, thrombosis, some breast cancers, osteoporosis, endometriosis and hereditary angioedaema, a rare disease involving swelling of some parts of the body.

How do they work?

Anabolic steroids are designed to mimic the body-building traits of testosterone - by increasing protein production within cells - while minimizing its masculinizing effects. There are several types, with various combinations of anabolic and androgenic properties.
These drugs also appear to increase blood volume and glycogen (blood sugar), and to inhibit the natural process whereby muscles cells that are no longer required are eliminated.

Abuse of anabolic steroids

The abuse of anabolic steroids by a small minority of athletes is relatively new. They were first developed in 1958 and although it was soon realized these drugs had unwanted side effects, it was too late to halt their spread into the sports world.

Early users were mainly bodybuilders, weightlifters, discus, shot put or javelin throwers -all competitors who rely heavily on physical bulk and strength. During the 1970's demand grew as athletes in other sports sought the competitive edge that anabolic steroids seemed to provide.

The abuse of anabolic steroids is not confined to males. Professional and amateur female athletes-track and field competitors, swimmers and bodybuilders may also abuse them.

By the 1980's, as non-athletes also discovered the body-enhancing properties of steroids, a black market began to flourish for the illegal production and sale of the drugs.

It's not only athletes who may use anabolic steroids. It may be an 18-year-old who loathes his skinny body. Or a 15-year old in a hurry to reach maturity, or a person who wants more muscle power to do their job.
Increasing numbers of adolescents are turning to steroids for cosmetic reasons.

Anabolic steroids are usually taken in pill form. Some that cannot be absorbed orally are taken by injection. The normal prescribed daily dose for medical purposes usually averages between 1 and 5 milligrams. Some athletes may take up to hundreds of milligrams a day, far exceeding medically recommended dosages.
Until recently most anabolic steroids that were abused were lawfully manufactured drugs that were diverted to the black market through theft and fraudulent prescriptions.

Now black-market anabolic steroids are either made overseas and smuggled into the UK or are produced in clandestine laboratories here. These counterfeit drugs may present greater health risks because they are manufactured without controls and thus may be impure, mislabeled or simply bogus.

Sales of anabolic steroids are made in gyms, health clubs etc., and by overseas mail-order. Suppliers may be drug dealers or they may be trainers, physicians, pharmacists or friends.