Anabolic Steroids

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Anabolic Steroids

• FWS 235

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What are They?

• Synthetic substances
• Related to male hormones, called androgens
• Promote growth of skeletal muscle
• Foster development of male sexual characteristics
• Legally available by prescription only

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Common Street Names

• On the street,
• Roids or juice
• Scientific names anabolic-androgenic steroids
• Anabolic- muscle-building
• Androgenic- increased male characteristics

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Common Steroids Used

• Common anabolic steroids taken today
• Anadrol
• Oxandrin
• Dianabol
• Winstrol
• Equipoise

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Why Prescribed?

• Anabolic steroids are used to
• Treat delayed puberty
• Impotence
• Body wasting AIDS patients and others

6
Stats

• Steroid abuse is higher in males
• Growing use in females
• An estimated 2.5 of 8th graders, 3.5 of 19th
  graders and 4.0 of 12th graders have taken
  anabolic steroids at least once in their lifetime
• Recent figures have increased 75 since 1991 in
  8th graders and over 50 among 10th and 12th
  graders

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Why Use?

• Desire to build muscles
• Reduce boy fat
• Improve sports performance
• Abuse is very high in these populations
• Bodybuilders
• Athletes

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Administration

• Taken orally as tablets or capsules
• Injection into muscles
• Topical gels or creams
• Abuse of steroids can be used 100 times greater
  than treatment for medical conditions

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Methods

• Stacking- mix of oral and/or injectable
  steroids. Bigger and faster
• Pyramid- stacked compounds in cycles of 6 to 12
  weeks with gradually increase and slow decreases
  to zero.
• Belief Bigger muscle production and gradual body
  adjustment

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Consequences

• Hormonal system disruptions include
• Reduced sperm production
• Shrinking of the testicles
• Impotence
• Irreversible breast enlargement (gynecomastia)
• Decreased body fat and breast size
• Deepening of the voice
• Excessive body hair
• Loss of scalp hair
• Clitoral enlargement in females

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Consequences

• Musculoskeletal system effects
• Premature and permanent termination of growth
  among adolescents
• Cardiovascular diseases increase
• Liver diseases that include potentially fatal
  cysts and cancer
• Skin disease such as acne and cysts
• Infections such as hepatitis B and C
• Behavioral effects (rage, depression, mood
  swings, fatigue)