| Anabolic steroids help in increasing the muscle | | | | treat chronic wasting conditions, such as cancer |
| mass and physical strength, and are consequently | | | | and AIDS. They are also used for treating |
| used in sport and bodybuilding to enhance | | | | delayed puberty; some types of impotence; |
| strength or physique. No wonder, one of the | | | | some types of anemia; osteoporosis (brittle bones |
| most common words in gyms & sports | | | | in menopausal women) and for itching caused by |
| nowadays is “steroids”! So, other than | | | | a liver condition called primary obstruction. |
| prescribed medicinal users, there are many user | | | | While medicinal use of steroids is fully justified, |
| groups who look towards steroids to assist them | | | | there are many socio-psychological reasons which |
| in attaining the physical attributes they crave for. | | | | can explain non-medicinal steroid use to some |
| Some of the common steroid user groups are: | | | | extent: |
| • Football or baseball players, wrestlers – | | | | • Anabolic steroids have been used by men |
| players of sports that depend on strength and | | | | and women in many different kinds of |
| size | | | | professional sports to attain a competitive edge |
| • Cricketers, Track-field athletes & swimmers | | | | or to assist in recovery from injury. Such use is |
| – those who need endurance | | | | prohibited by the rules of the governing bodies of |
| • Bodybuilders | | | | many sports. |
| • Any person interested in building and | | | | • There is more pressure to win and perform |
| developing their muscles | | | | in sports today than ever before in history. With |
| A typical Steroid User’s profile: | | | | so much pressure to perform, it is no wonder |
| Studies have shown anabolic steroid users tend to | | | | that young athletes look to |
| be mostly middle-class heterosexual men with a | | | | performance-enhancing supplements to gain an |
| median age of about 25 who are noncompetitive | | | | edge. |
| bodybuilders & non-athletes & use the drugs for | | | | • Easy accessibility is also a major reason for |
| cosmetic purposes. According to a recent survey, | | | | the use of steroids and other |
| 78.4% of steroid users were noncompetitive | | | | performance-enhancing drugs among youth today. |
| bodybuilders & non-athletes. The non medical use | | | | Choosing to use anabolic steroids to better one's |
| of anabolic steroids among college students was | | | | body doesn't make one a horrible person. For |
| found to be less than 1%. | | | | those whose dedication and desires reach the |
| Medical Usage of Anabolic Steroids: | | | | highest levels, those who are intelligent enough to |
| Not just gyms & sports, steroids are widely used | | | | become responsible users, steroid use can prove |
| for diverse array of medicinal purposes. They are | | | | to be a safer and an effective way to realize |
| used therapeutically in medicine to stimulate bone | | | | their goals. Use them, but use them responsibly! |
| growth and appetite, induce male puberty, and | | | | |