Anabolic steroids

Don't consider taking steroids until you've swotted up with TheSite's guide.

Slang:

They often have many different trade names. Commonly used anabolic steroids are Anavar, Sustanon and Dianabol, Winstrol, Deca-Durabolin. Also known as roids, juice, and gear.

Background:

Steroids are synthetic substances similar to, and often including, the male hormone testosterone.

In medicine, steroids are used to treat muscle weakness after surgery. Elsewhere, some bodybuilders use steroids as well as others who think it'll improve their body image.

Comes in pill form, or as liquid which is injected. Taking a number of different steroids (and other substances) at the same time is known as 'stacking'. Anabolic steroids are banned in most sports. An athlete found using them is often suspended and stripped of previous titles.

The effects:

Users generally claim steroids make them feel more aggressive and able to train harder.
If combined with regular exercise, it can help build up muscle. However, it is not yet certain that steroids actually improves muscle power and athletic performance.
The drug can also reduce the recovery time needed after heavy training.

The risks:

Unwanted side effects associated with steroid use include irritability and aggressiveness ('roid rage'), acne, accelerated hair loss, and a bloated appearance.
In women steroids have a masculinising effect and can cause growth of facial and body hair, baldness, a deepening voice deepening, shrinking breasts, enlargement of the clitoris and disruption of the menstrual cycle.
For men the risks include erection problems, breast growth, shrinking testicles, reduces sperm levels and possible sterility.
Some of these side-effects, such as breast growth, can be irreversable without surgery.
Long term heavy use may damage the heart, liver and kidneys. Young people taking steroids may find their growth rate adversely affected.
Injecting steroids can damage veins, while sharing needles or syringes places users at risk of infection from HIV and hepatitis.

The law:

Steroids can only be obtained legally with a doctor's prescription from a pharmacist.
Possession without prescription isn't illegal but supplying steroids (even for free) carries Class C penalties.

If you are planning on taking steroids:

It is possible that using anabolic steroids alongside some anti-HIV drugs may make the side effects of each worse.
Steroid users should be taking them in cycles of no more than 12 weeks at a time, with an 'off-cycle' of about the same. Your body will thank you for taking time out to let it recover.
Many steroids are counterfeit. As a rough guide, it may well be fake if it doesn't have packaging and instructions. Also, bone fide steroids have a lot number and expiry date printed on the box, which should be in a different coloured ink. Hold it up to the light, counterfeits are often cloudy or contain bits. If in doubt, chuck them out.
Never inject steroids into a vein. This is likely to produce a fatal reaction.