Anabolic steroids are any drug or hormonal substance chemically and pharmacologically related to testosterone. They are taken to promote muscle growth.

• Sobering Statistics
• Street Names
• How are they taken?
• What are the effects?
• What are the dangers?

Sobering Statistics

Five to 12 percent of male high school students and 1 percent of female students have used anabolic steroids by the time they are seniors.
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Street Names

• "roids"
  
• "stackers"

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How are they taken?

• Steroids are taken orally or injected into the muscle.
• Users take steroids on a schedule known as a cycle, in which they "stack” or take two or more different anabolic steroids or “pyramid” their doses, taking a low dose at the beginning of the cycle then slowly increasing the dose.

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What are the effects?

When used in combination with exercise training and a high protein diet, anabolic steroids can:

• Promote increased size and strength of muscles.
• Improve endurance.
• Decrease recovery time between workouts.

However, there are also several negative side effects from using steroids.

Physical side effects for both males and females include:

• Elevated blood pressure.
• Elevated cholesterol levels.
• Severe acne.
• Premature balding.
• Reduced sexual function.

Physical side effects for males include:

• Abnormal breast development.
• Shrinking of the testicles.
• Infertility.

Physical side effects for females include:

• More body hair.
• Deeper voice.
• Smaller breasts.
• Fewer menstrual cycles.

Additional physical side effects in adolescents:

• Stunted growth.

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What are the dangers?

Serious health problems include damage to the:

• Cardiovascular system.
• Liver.
• Reproductive organs.

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