You must have heard news items about this or that star athlete stripped of his crown because after-competition tests have shown them positive for steroids. Now if you as a budding athlete aspire to be a champion in the sport you’ve chosen, taking in steroids for their promise of boosting performance doesn’t seem to pay off when the risk of being stripped of your crown becomes a reality right after the contest.

Benefits of Anabolic Steroids in Sports and Bodybuilding

The human chemistry produces steroids naturally at certain times to fight off stress and promote growth and development. Anabolic steroids are artificially produced substances that mimic the action of androgen steroids like testosterone, a male sex hormone produced in the testes and thus common in males though produced in smaller quantities in females.

Anabolic steroids have become quite popular among athletes to increase their endurance in prolonged intense training and weight management. Especially among bodybuilders, steroids can boost muscle mass to lend that inflated look they want. No doubt, they are known to increase appetite and with the proper dietary intake, help bodybuilders attain the muscle mass at a faster rate with increased efficiency in their daily workouts.

They come in tablet or liquid form, but can also be injected. It can be said that its discovery as a performance booster in sports started in the late 50s when Soviet and Eastern bloc weightlifting athletes simply outclassed their American rivals in many world championship sports and the Olympics. After unconfirmed news that steroids have been used, the sports world was never the same. With adverse and unknown risks associated with steroid use, they were eventually banned by just about all sports governing bodies worldwide starting in the 70s.

So what’s the risk?

Steroids are under class III drugs classified as controlled substances that cannot be obtained through prescription as doctors are constrained by law to prescribe them to athletes and bodybuilders. You can get them only through online or street purchases. But while the benefits are clearly evident, its adverse medical risks far outweigh them.

• Excessive dosage over long periods has been known to have crippling effects. The body produces and uses steroids in small quantities and cannot tolerate large doses. Excess anabolic steroids are converted to estrogen. • Prolonged use can damage the liver and kidneys, inducing liver tumors, fluid retention, jaundice and high blood pressure. Users are strongly advised to have regular blood tests to monitor and address any health problem that may arise in time. • Unwanted sides effects are known to come with sustained use. For men, they include shrinkage of the testicles and infertility from reduced sperm count, premature baldness and even development of breasts. For women you can expect development secondary male traits like facial hair and a deepened voice with changes in the menstrual cycle. For teenagers, normal growth cycle can be disturbed with accelerated puberty growth and premature skeletal bone maturation. • Research studies over the years have confirmed that regular steroid uses can result in psychological disturbances like delusions of indivisibility and impaired thinking as a result, paranoia, and extreme irritability.