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What are Steroids?
Steroids are man-made compounds which are very similar in composition to the natural male sex hormone,
testosterone.
Steroids are drugs. They are legally available only through prescriptions by doctors to treat certain medical
conditions.
They are commonly referred to as anabolic steroids or androgenic steroids, so classified due to the
characteristics effects. "Anabolic" is derived from the Greek language and mean “to build” and “Androgenic" is
also derived from the Greek language and mean “masculinizing” .
Testosterone is a male sex hormone although it is produced by both males and females. It is a male sex
hormone because it produces effects that are associated with males. For examples, deepening of the voice,
growth of hair in the face, chests and other parts of the body, formation and development of muscles.
There is a simple explanation to how testosterone in steroids helps in developing muscles. Nitrogen is one
of the elements in proteins and muscles are made up of proteins. Testosterone is a hormone that activates
the nitrogen content in the body producing proteins, and so muscles developed.
The largest amounts of testosterone are produced by the testes in men, but it is also synthesized in smaller
quantities in women by the ovaries and the placenta. Testosterone is also produced by the brains in both
sexes.
It is important to note that steroids are not needed for healthy, young people for developing their muscles.
Artificially manufactured anabolic steroids can either be injected or swallowed. Injected steroids persist longer
in the body and are more easily detected for this reason.
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Who Uses Steroids and Why?
Initially, artificial steroids were developed to help men that were testosterone-deficient.
They lacked proper overall development and functioning of sexual organs (this condition is medically termed
hypogonadism.) The steroids were helpful in treating certain other disorders like impotence, delay in puberty,
and diseases due to HIV infections as well.
It was found that animals can benefit from steroids in the sense that they can develop better muscles and
bones.
The biggest group of people who abuse steroids are sport persons. Just look at the pictures below and you
will have no difficulty in understanding the attraction of steroids.
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In addition to building good looking muscles, steroids are also used to enhance performance in sports.
Steroids are in common usage among different categories of sportspersons. Different sports offer different
challenges. Accordingly, sportspersons use them for individual benefits, which include the following:
- Field athletes that participate in hammer throwing, discus throw, javelin, shot putting, and other games
requiring good physical consistency and strength. They use steroids to enhance their physical
prowess.
- Footballers want leaner body mass with better strength. This helps them to tackle the ball better and
with greater velocity.
- Weight builders lift enormous weights and require maximum strength to lift them. They seek to
improve strength in their hands and legs.
- Bodybuilders need less muscular mass and fat content in their bodies. They take steroids to shape
their body well so that they have a fantastic, muscular body to flaunt.
- Runners and swimmers want to cover long distances easily. They want to increase their endurance
capacities and perform intensively.
- Some people take steroids just to develop their looks and build muscles. They want to project a
muscular body and a impressive image.
- Women athletes, in general, take smaller quantities of steroids when compared to men to match their
normally smaller build.
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Useful Properties of Steroids
Doctors often prescribe steroids for treating certain diseases like severe burns, breast cancer, and anemia.
They can help to set right impotence, osteoporosis in menopausal women, liver problems in biliary
obstruction, delayed puberty and some complicated issues due to HIV. It is also helpful in multiple sclerosis,
rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, lupus and colitis.
Corticosteroids are artificial versions of cortisone, which can cure inflammations. This is useful in different
disorders like arthritis, asthma, and other inflammations due to injuries.
Non-addictive usage of steroids is not very harmful where you take in steroids for a limited period. Thereafter,
you discontinue them and you are therefore not under permanent influence of steroids.
Steroids do have medicinal value for anemic people and those males whose body does not produce enough
testosterone by itself. Corticosteroids, a different category of steroids, do not have any harmful effects and help
to reduce swelling of body parts. However, steroids are not needed for healthy, young people for developing
their muscles.
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Harmful effects of Steroids
There are both psychological and physical harmful effects of steroids.
1. Psychological and Behavioral Effects of Steroids
There are sufficient evidence to suggest the abuse of steroids can lead to aggressive behaviors, mental
illness and depressions. A good example is given by the suicide of Rob Garibaldi at the age of 24 due to the
extensive use of steroids.
2. Physical Harmful Effects of Steroids
2.1 Physical Harmful Effects of Steroids on All Abusers
The anabolic steroids can cause the following side-effects to all steroid abusers:
- liver tumors and cancer,
- jaundice,
- fluid retention,
- high blood pressure,
- increases in LDL (bad cholesterol), and
- decreases in HDL (good cholesterol).
2.2 Physical Harmful Effects of Steroids on Male Abusers
While the feminizing side-effects to male abusers may be surprising, the explanation is actually very simple.
Steroid is also an intermediate in the production of the female hormone estrogen. The feminizing effects of
estrogen cause male abusers to suffer the following side-effects:
- shrinking of the testicles because ovaries need not be so big,
- reduced sperm count because female sperms may result in self-fertilization which would result in
unhealthy offsprings,
- infertility because females do not need to perform the fertilization function,
- development of breasts because females need to produce milk for the babies,
- increased risk for prostate cancer because a prostate is a foreign part in a female body.
2.3 Physical Harmful Effects of Steroids on Female Abusers
The female steroid abusers suffer the following side-effects due to the male hormone testosterone:
- growth of facial hair because testosterone stimulates hair growth on the face to distinguish men from
women,
- male-pattern baldness because testosterone helps men to bald in a characteristic way,
- changes in or cessation of the menstrual cycle because a man does not have to prepare his body for
pregnancy,
- enlargement of the clitoris because the penis needs to be larger in order for it to perform its function
- deepened voice because a man’s voice needs to be deeper to sound stronger
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A Complete Guide to the Use
and Abuse of Steroids
Only $17.00
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Bonus!
You also get the following 5 books for free
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Brought to you by Jacob Gan, PhD (Michigan)
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