Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

322 Substance Abuse
Therapeutic uses for anabolic androgenic steroids
include treatment for certain kinds of BREAST CANCER
and TESTICULAR CANCER, and endocrine disorders in
which the body does not produce normal levels of
testosterone and other androgens. Therapeutic uses
for anabolic nonandrogenic steroids include disorders
of the PITUITARY GLAND and other conditions
(such as chronic RENAL FAILURE) in childhood that
result in smaller than normal stature, and circumstances
of muscle loss associated with long-term
chronic health conditions such as AIDS.
Abusive Uses
Most anabolic steroid abusers are men ages 20 to
40, though anabolic steroid use among teens (boys
and girls) and women, especially athletes, is growing.
However, athletic organizations worldwide
prohibit the use of anabolic steroids and steroid
precursors at all levels of competition from high
school through professional. At elite levels of competition,
sanctioning organizations use URINE and
BLOOD tests to detect anabolic steroid use among
competing athletes.
There is some use of anabolic steroids, both
androgenic and nonandrogenic, as antiaging therapies.
These are unproven uses.
Adverse Health Risks and Consequences
Short-term, adverse health consequences of anabolic
androgenic steroids are usually reversible (go
away after stopping the DRUG) and may include
• enlarged breasts (GYNECOMASTIA), testicle shrinkage,
reduced body HAIR, and other feminization
characteristics in men
• facial hair, increased body hair, lowered voice,
and other masculinizing characteristics in
women
• mood swings, emotional volatility, and outbursts
of rage
• moderate to severe DEPRESSION
• DELUSION
• ACNE
Long-term, adverse health consequences of
anabolic androgenic steroids are often permanent
(continue when no longer taking the drug) and
may include
• INFERTILITY or sterility
• LIVER damage
• LIVER CANCER
• left ventricular hypertrophy (enlarged left ventricle
of the HEART)
• ATHEROSCLEROSIS and CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE
(CAD)
In young people who are still growing, anabolic
androgenic steroids cause the growth plates in the
long bones to close, ending their growth. Other
risks of anabolic steroid use may include INFECTION
with HEPATITIS, HIV/AIDS, and other diseases
acquired through sharing needles to inject the
steroids.
COMMON ANABOLIC STEROIDS
AND STEROID PRECURSORS
Anabolic Androgenic Steroids
boldenone
chlorotestosterone
clostebol
dehydrochlormethyltestosterone
dihydrotestosterone drostanolone
ethylestrenol
fluoxymesterone
formebolone
mesterolone
methandienone
methandienone
methandriol
methandrostenolone
methenolone
methyltestosterone
mibolerone
nandrolone
norethandrolone oxandrolone
oxymesterone
oxymetholone
stanolone
stanozolol
testolactone
TESTOSTERONE
trenbolone
Anabolic Androgenic Steroid Precursors
androstenediol
androstenedione
DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE norandrostenediol
(DHEA)
norandrostenedione
Anabolic Nonandrogenic Steroids
human growth hormone insulinlike growth factor 1
(hGH)
(IGF-1)
See also AGING, ENDOCRINE CHANGES THAT OCCUR
WITH; ANTIAGING APPROACHES; GAMMA HYDROXYBU-
TYRATE (GHB); HORMONE; INJECTING DRUGS, RISKS OF;
PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING SUBSTANCES.