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We live the dangers of cocaine, marijuana, or heroin, but there is another danger that lurks in the drug world that has been around for decades. I am talking about anabolic steroids, which may be more lethal than any other drug out there if not taken properly.
To fully understand what steroids do and how the work, one must first become familiar with what they are. Anabolic steroids are androgenous, derivatives of the male hormone testosterone (Bishop, 1). This hormone actually naturally produced in the human body. Since testosterone is a male hormone, it is responsible for male characteristics, such as an increase in muscle mass, facial hair, or even the depth of a persons voice. These steroids are synthetically made to mimic or even imitate the effects of this hormone (testosterone). Once they enter the users system, the drugs work by raising the level of testosterone in the body, which in turn stimulates the users muscle tissue, causing the muscle tissue to grow larger and stronger, even if the user makes no changes in their physical activity. Even though the results of steroids can be maximized when properly combined with nutrition and a good workout regimen, they are still extremely dangerous.
Over the past decade, the use of steroids has gotten increasingly sophisticated. Users no longer have to inject themselves with whatever chemicals they can get their hands on, many of them are concocting complex steroid “cocktails” that are made of several types of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. This process is also known as stacking. Stacking can yield different and unwanted results.
Another common practice of steroid users is to administer their drugs in “cycles.” A cycle is several weeks of use followed by a few weeks of nonuse to allow the body time to recover. This practice is done in hopes that the body will continue to produce an adequate amount of testosterone and that the commonly associated side effects of steroid use can be minimized or avoided altogether.
Today steroids are used for more than just physical appearance and athletic prowess, they are also used in the world of medicine. One area in which doctors have found the drugs effective is the treatment of AIDS and cancer patients. Victims of severe burns have also found steroids beneficial. Severe burns can have a horrible effect on the body, which can sometimes halt or decrease testosterone production. In cases like this, steroids can jump-start the victims testosterone production and even shorten healing time up to eight days. But perhaps the area where steroids have actually helped the most medical results is aiding in the recovery from athletic injuries. Even though the use of steroids are proven safe in the medical field, they are still extremely dangerous and health hazardous if used improperly.
If not scared by the risks of harmful side effects, many potential users are scared off by the legal repercussions of steroid use, possession, and distribution. Unless the drugs are prescribed, possession of this illegal drug is a felony in the United States, mostly because of the harmful health problems they can cause. Steroids are powerful drugs and they have a powerful effect on the human body, and the good changes that are associated with the use are more likely than most accompanied by negative side-effects or serious health problems or even health risks. The drugs can yield a number of different results, some of which are good, some of which are bad, and some of which are deadly. The good is almost always accompanied by some of the latter.
Over an extended period of time, an abnormally high level of testosterone can have a damaging effect on the body. A common misconception is that users can avoid the unwanted side effects by cycling on and off the drug, but this strategy has proven unsuccessful in the past.
The most common side effect are usually the least serious. They are mostly cosmetic and relatively mild in that they will not cause any physical harm. The most common of these is acne. Steroid users will experience breakouts, mostly on the face and back, which may vary in severity. Another unwanted side effect occurring in both males and females is baldness;