Facts on File Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

Therapeutic uses for anabolic androgenic steroids
include treatment for certain kinds of BREAST CANCER
and TESTICULAR CANCER, and endocrine disorders in
which the body does not produce normal levels of
testosterone and other androgens. Therapeutic uses
for anabolic nonandrogenic steroids include disor-
ders of thePITUITARY GLANDand other conditions
(such as chronic RENAL FAILURE) in childhood that
result in smaller than normal stature, and circum-
stances of muscle loss associated with long-term
chronic health conditions such as AIDS.

Abusive Uses
Most anabolic steroid abusers are men ages 20 to
40, though anabolic steroid use among teens (boys
and girls) and women, especially athletes, is grow-
ing. However, athletic organizations worldwide
prohibit the use of anabolic steroids and steroid
precursors at all levels of competition from high
school through professional. At elite levels of com-
petition, sanctioning organizations use URINEand
BLOODtests to detect anabolic steroid use among
competing athletes.
There is some use of anabolic steroids, both
androgenic and nonandrogenic, as antiaging ther-
apies. These are unproven uses.

Adverse Health Risks and Consequences

Short-term, adverse health consequences of ana-
bolic androgenic steroids are usually reversible (go
away after stopping the DRUG) and may include

• enlarged breasts (GYNECOMASTIA), testicle shrink-
  age, reduced body HAIR, and other feminization
  characteristics in men


• facial hair, increased body hair, lowered voice,
  and other masculinizing characteristics in
  women


• mood swings, emotional volatility, and out-
  bursts of rage


• moderate to severe DEPRESSION


• DELUSION


• ACNE

Long-term, adverse health consequences of
anabolic androgenic steroids are often permanent
(continue when no longer taking the drug) and
may include

• INFERTILITYor sterility
  
  
  • LIVERdamage
  
  
  
  


• LIVER CANCER
  
  
  • left ventricular hypertrophy (enlarged left ven-
    tricle of the HEART)
  
  
  • ATHEROSCLEROSIS and CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE
    (CAD)
  
  
  
  

In young people who are still growing, anabolic

androgenic steroids cause the growth plates in the

long bones to close, ending their growth. Other

risks of anabolic steroid use may include INFECTION

with HEPATITIS, HIV/AIDS, and other diseases

acquired through sharing needles to inject the

steroids.

COMMON ANABOLIC STEROIDS

AND STEROID PRECURSORS

Anabolic Androgenic Steroids

boldenone chlorotestosterone

clostebol dehydrochlormethyltestosterone

dihydrotestosterone drostanolone

ethylestrenol fluoxymesterone

formebolone mesterolone

methandienone methandienone

methandriol methandrostenolone

methenolone methyltestosterone

mibolerone nandrolone

norethandrolone oxandrolone

oxymesterone oxymetholone

stanolone stanozolol

testolactone TESTOSTERONE

trenbolone

Anabolic Androgenic Steroid Precursors

androstenediol androstenedione

DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE norandrostenediol

(DHEA)

norandrostenedione

Anabolic Nonandrogenic Steroids

human growth hormone insulinlike growth factor 1

(hGH) (IGF-1)

See also AGING, ENDOCRINE CHANGES THAT OCCUR

WITH; ANTIAGING APPROACHES; GAMMA HYDROXYBU-

TYRATE(GHB); HORMONE; INJECTING DRUGS, RISKS OF;

PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING SUBSTANCES.

322 Substance Abuse