Anabolic steroids are drugs that promote the growth of skeletal muscle. They can be taken in pill form, by injecting into muscles or even by rubbing ointment preparations into the skin. Steroids are used by doctors to treat conditions that occur when the body produces abnormally low amounts of testosterone. Steroid abusers obtain these drugs by getting them from clandestine labs, smuggled from other countries or even diverted illegally from pharmacies.

Anabolic steroid abuse mainly occurs in weightlifting, pro football, wrestling and the most use is in body building. Some abusers will take doses that can be up to 100 times more than the doses used for treating medical conditions. It is believed that all professional body builders take or have taken anabolic steroids. They believe that it will help them build muscle a lot easier. Most people want to be bigger and stronger and they believe that by taking steroids it will make it easier to gain that extra ‘bulk’.

Some of the side affects of taking steroids in great proportions or abusing them are that in males it reduces there sperm count. It also shrinks the testicles, makes you impotent, makes it difficult and painful to urinate. Steroid abuse also speeds up the process or balding and increases breast size. Women who take steroids develop more masculine features such as deepening of the voice, decreased body fat and breast size. Women will also grow excessive amounts of body hair and lose scalpel hair. Enlargement of the clitoral will also occur if women abuse steroids. In both sexes taking steroids increase the risk of liver cancer, blood clotting, high cholesterol and hypertension. Each of these can promote a heart attack, acne or a stroke. People that inject steroids and share needles or don’t properly clean them have a chance of getting HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B or C.