Anabolic Steroid Misuses

Anabolic Steroid may offer powerlifters, strongmen, bodybuilders and other athletes a great deal of anabolic gains like enhanced muscle and bone mass, increased strength, endurance, energy and stamina.

However, it is important to note that synthetic steroid hormones are like every other drug and there are indications and contraindications to their use. Steroids bodybuilding should therefore be in accordance to generally accepted cycles and recommended dosages that are widely viewed as within the safe zone.

For example, Anadrol or Drol as it is often called is one of the most highly hepatotoxic steroids pills available and typically, a short Drol cycle of 6 weeks with daily dosages not exceeding 75 mg is usually advised.

In addition to running short Drol cycles, bodybuilders would be wise to include liver supplements and protective pharmaceutical drugs to their cycle or stack. Drugs like TUDCA are often recommended to help protect the liver of a Drol user from possible damage.

However, despite the dangers that steroids pills like Anadrol can pose to the health of bodybuilders if used inappropriately, there are still some bodybuilders and indeed other athletes that still misuse and even abuse steroids.

This post looks at the legality of steroids, why people misuse anabolic steroids, how steroids are used, the most common side effects of anabolic steroid use and addiction to androgenic-anabolic steroid use.

 

I. Is Anabolic Steroid Use Illegal?

The question of ‘are anabolic steroids illegal?’ is one whose answer is closely linked to location. There are some countries around the world particularly in the Eastern part of Europe, Asia, Central and Southern America (exception in Argentina and Brazil) where the possession and use of anabolic steroids is not considered as illegal.

Also, the distribution and sale of steroid hormones are not criminalised in any way. You could casually walk into a pharmacy in some countries in these regions and request for over-the-counter anabolic steroids for sale.

However, in Northern America it is definitely illegal to possess or use anabolic steroid. The Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990 passed in the United States of America clearly prohibits persons from having androgenic-anabolic steroids in their possession and from using anabolic steroids.

The possession and use of anabolic steroids without a prescription issued by a qualified medical practitioner is also considered as illegal in Canada, the United Kingdom, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Australia, Norway, Sweden and many other countries around the world.

II. Why do people misuse Steroid Hormones?

There are many reasons why people misuse steroid hormones. But most of these reasons for the misuse of steroids seem to border more on psychological rather than physical factors.

People that require an anabolic steroid for a medical condition, for example synthetic testosterone or “Test” for the treatment of wasting diseases like cancer or HIV/AIDS can easily be addicted to using the steroid as it helps with weight gain and in building muscle mass.

This can be considered as a physical reason for misuse. However, in many cases the use of anabolic steroids is usually to satisfy an egotistical and often narcissistic need.

While peer pressure may be one of the factors that can lead some people into misusing steroids, the main reason for abusing steroids by such people is obviously psychological in nature.

A desperate need to be accepted by one’s peers and wanting to belong to an exclusive group of friends and associates is often a telltale sign of low self-esteem, low self-confidence and low self-belief which are all psychological reasons.

Competitive bodybuilders may become addicted to using certain steroids because of the bodybuilding gains derived from their use and not minding that the continuous use of these steroids could be detrimental to their long-term health.

The desire to succeed and to win at all cost could push competitive bodybuilders into ignoring all the warning signs of steroid use. These bodybuilders would willingly misuse and abuse steroid hormones as long as they can visibly see improvements in their physique and as far as they know, their health seems fine.

However, because of the insatiable need to constantly use steroids beyond recommended cycles, these bodybuilders tend to ignore the early warning signs and side effects of steroids in bodybuilding until these side effects become severe or it is too late in the day to deal with the side effects.

 

III. How to take Anabolic Steroids

You can take an anabolic steroid in a number of different ways. There are steroids pills like Winstrol (Winny), Anavar (Var) and Anadrol (Drol) that can be orally administered. Pills are considered the most convenient of all the forms of steroids.

Steroids are also available as injections like ‘Test‘ which are injected into the buttock or muscles, but not the veins. There are also steroid gels and creams that can be directly applied on the skin.

Whatever form of steroid is preferable to the user, there are normally three basic ways of using steroids and these include:

• Cycling: This occurs when a specific steroid dosage is taken for a specific period of time or cycle.
• Stacking: This is where multiple steroids are taken at the same time with each steroid having their own specific dosage and cycle.
• Pyramiding: This is where an anabolic steroid or steroid stacks are taken for a specific cycle. However, rather than a steady dosage or dosages throughout the cycle, you have a steadily increasing dosage administered up to a peak period which is then followed by a steadily reducing dosage until the end of the cycle.

IV. Anabolic Steroid Side-effects

Steroids bodybuilding are not without health consequences and some of the common side effects of steroids in bodybuilding range from mild symptoms to life threatening health conditions.

The steroid side effects that a bodybuilder can experience would depend on several factors. Some of these factors include;

1. The age and gender of the bodybuilder,
2. their body weight and physique,
3. their tolerance level of the anabolic steroid used,
4. the type of steroid administered,
5. the method of administration (i.e. oral or injection),
6. the steroid dosage administered,
7. the length of steroid use, and
8. the misuse or abuse of steroids.

 

Steroids are known to adversely affect virtually all parts of the human body. However, those parts of the body that are mostly affected by steroids include:

• Musculoskeletal side effects: Steroids can cause ruptures to tendons, rhabdomyolysis, severe muscle strains, edema, and muscle hypertrophy.
• Cardiovascular side effects: Some cardiovascular side effects of steroid use include; arrhythmias, thrombosis, myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, myocardial hypertrophy, stroke, heart attacks, and sudden cardiac death.
• Reproductive side effects: The side effects include hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, testicular atrophy, uterine atrophy, libido changes, infertility, impotency, and changes to menstrual cycles.
• Renal side effects: Renal cell carcinoma, renal hypertrophy, acute renal failure, nephropathy, and prostate cancer.
• Psychiatric/Neurological side effects: Delusions, psychosis, aggressive/violent behavior, mood swings, anxiety, depression, suicidality, and dysphoria.
• Hepatic (Liver Toxicity) side effects: Cholestasis, peliosis hepatis, jaundice, hepatocellular carcinoma, and hepatic steatosis.
• Feminization/Virilization side effects: Male boobs (gynecomastia) hirsutism, breast atrophy, thinning of hair on the scalp, change in voice characterised by deepening or hoarseness, and increased acne breakouts.

 

V. Signs of Anabolic Steroid Addiction

Some signs of an addition to anabolic steroid use include:

• Steroid addicts tend to invest a lot of money and time using anabolic steroids usually to the detriment of their home and/or work.
• When obvious side effects of steroid use are visible like gynecomastia and the anabolic steroid user continues using steroids.
• When steroid use affects relationships, such as with family, relatives and close friends.
• Depression, anxiety and suicidality.

VI. Conclusion

When a person stops using steroids especially after a prolonged period of addiction, such a person is likely to exhibit some withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms may include; a loss of appetite, fatigue, insomnia, restlessness, anxiety, loss of libido, mood swings, depression, and also cravings for anabolic steroids.

Any one with a steroid addiction needs to visit a psychiatrist who would help them to combat their addition through therapy. It is also important that addicts are subjected to a thorough medical checkup to know the level of damage that their steroid addiction may have caused to their overall health.