Anabolic steroids are synthetic derivatives of testosterone. Testosterone effects are of androgenic (male, eg. Changes in the hair or libido, aggressiveness) and anabolic effects (tissue growth, eg. Increasing the use of proteins, changes in muscle mass). The androgenic effect cannot be separated from the anabolic effect, but anabolic steroids were synthesized to minimize the androgenic effects.Scientific evidence and anecdotal data indicate that a suitable lean muscle mass and strength can be increased more among individuals using anabolic steroids. However, there is no direct evidence that the use of anabolic steroids increases endurance or speed. Strong arguments, albeit anecdotal, suggest that athletes with anabolic steroids may undergo more frequent use of high intensity training, although no study confirms this effect and that the mechanism is not known. The improvement of athletic performance may be only a subjective feeling.
In the USA, the frequency of use of anabolic steroids is 6 to 11% among male students (this also includes an unexpectedly large number of non-athletes) and 2.5% among schoolgirls. In a national study, the reasons most frequently invoked the use of anabolic steroids was to improve athletic performance and the second was to improve physical appearance.
The typical user is male (95%), athletics (65%), usually football players, wrestlers and heavyweight weightlifter. It has an increased likelihood of attending an urban school of over 700 students, a minority and he had purchased steroids from the black market (60%). He is less likely to have a parent who completed a course in college.
Athletes can take steroids for a period of time, stop and then resume (taken cyclically) several times per year. It is considered that the intermittent allows the endogenous testosterone, the number of sperm and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal returning to normal. Some anecdotal evidence suggests that the absorption could reduce cyclical effects and the need for increased doses of medication to achieve the desired effect.
Athletes often use several drugs simultaneously (a practice called "stacking") and alternate routes of administration (oral, IM injection or transcutaneous). Increasing the dose in a cycle ( "pyramidalisation") may result in doses of 5 to 100 times higher than physiological doses. The "stacking" and "pyramidalisation" aim to increase the affinity for the receptors and minimize side effects, but those interests have not been demonstrated.
Anabolic steroids also have medicinal use. Because they are anticataboliques and improve the use of proteins, they are administered to burn forced to remain bedridden or other vulnerable patients to prevent muscle atrophy.
