Action has been taken against illegal online distributors who sell steroids without valid prescriptions, but an ongoing problem is that you can take one site down and another pops up.
In such cases, individuals may have no idea what they are taking, what the appropriate dose should be, or what levels of control and safety went into the manufacturing process. These facts make the risks of taking anabolic steroids bought without a prescription even greater than they otherwise would be. A: I would emphasize both the short and long-term potential for serious harm to their health.
Rather than making you look or perform better, steroids will more likely cause unfavorable results that could affect you for life. I would also remind them that there are a number of ways to increase muscle mass and athletic performance, including a sensible regimen of exercise and diet, without resorting to extreme and dangerous therapies. A: Parents tend not to believe their teens would consider taking anabolic steroids, but the truth is that the frequency of steroid use in this age group is far greater than many would guess.
During this time of year, when children are in school and getting back into their athletic routines, parents should watch for potential signs of abuse. Mood swings are among the first side effects to show up, and steroid use may lead to mania or depression.
Acne is also an early side effect and can be followed by breast development in boys or increased body hair in girls. A surprising gain of muscle mass should also raise questions. Enter your email address to subscribe:. In certain cases of addiction, patients have taken medicines to help treat symptoms of withdrawal.
For example, health care providers have prescribed antidepressants to treat depression and pain medicines for headaches and muscle and joint pain. Other medicines have been used to help restore the patient's hormonal system. This publication is available for your use and may be reproduced in its entirety without permission from NIDA. Department of Health and Human Services.
National Institutes of Health. Drug Topics. More Drug Topics. Quick Links. About NIDA. Anabolic Steroids DrugFacts. What are anabolic steroids? Points to Remember Anabolic steroids are synthetic variations of the male sex hormone testosterone. Health care providers can prescribe steroids to treat various medical conditions. But some athletes and bodybuilders misuse these drugs to boost performance or improve their physical appearance. People who abuse anabolic steroids usually take them orally, inject them into the muscles, or apply them to the skin with a cream or gel.
DHEA is one of the few exceptions and can still be bought over the counter. Steroid supplements are weaker forms of androgen. Their effects aren't well known, but it's thought that, when taken in large doses, they cause effects similar to other androgens like testosterone. But research studies suggest that they do very little or nothing to improve athletic performance.
Here's what is known about steroidal supplements: Companies that make them often use false claims, and very little is known about the long-term effects some of these substances have on the body. That's one reason why the government took action to protect citizens by passing laws controlling steroid distribution. Anabolic steroids stimulate muscle tissue to grow and "bulk up" in response to training by mimicking the effect of naturally produced testosterone on the body. Anabolic steroids can remain in the body anywhere from a couple of days to about a year.
Steroids have become popular because they may improve endurance, strength, and muscle mass. However, research has not shown that steroids improve skill, agility, or athletic performance. Steroids can also have serious psychological side effects. Some users may become aggressive or combative, believe things that aren't true delusions , or have extreme feelings of mistrust or fear paranoia.
And people who use steroids also appear to be at higher risk for using other drugs, such as alcohol or cocaine, often to counteract some of the negative effects of steroids. Steroid users who inject the drugs with a needle are at risk for infection with HIV human immunodeficiency virus , the virus that causes AIDS, if they share needles with other users.
People who use dirty needles are also at risk for contracting hepatitis , a liver disease, or bacterial endocarditis, an infection of the inner lining of the heart. Some people "cycle" their steroid doses.
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