Performance Enhancing Drugs or anabolic steroids are substances that are intended to enhance the performance of your body or bring about the desired state in your activity performance. Also known as anabolic androgenic steroids. These are mainly popular among bodybuilders, athletes, and teenagers for different reasons. The drug is consumed to bring about the desired change and outcome by increasing performance.
The effect of performance-enhancing drugs or Anabolic Androgenic Steroids can be in different ways, such as enhancing muscles or increasing the capacity of the blood to carry oxygen into the body’s cells. The use of any performance-enhancing drug is specifically considered illegal and is known as doping, but still being by many individuals.
Why do Individuals Use Anabolic Androgenic Steroids?
Individuals use performance-enhancing drugs for a variety of reasons and under different circumstances. It depends on the individual’s desire and the expected outcome. Some of the circumstances and reasons are:
- When a person has body image insecurity, generally this happens in teenagers
- Under pressure to make strong performance or to get a competitive edge
- Bodybuilding and desire to gain more muscle strength and muscle mass
- Comparing body with others
What Are Anabolic Steroids?
Anabolic androgenic steroids are synthetic derivatives or a form of male sex hormone, testosterone. Nandrolone decanoate, Danazol, Stanozolol, Testosterone, etc. falls under the category of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).
The main function of the testosterone hormone is to balance the sex desire of males and to synthesize a protein that builds muscle mass faster. It helps in building additional muscle size and increasing strength. When anabolic androgenic steroids are consumed that increase the body’s natural production.
Androstenedione and dehydroepiandrostenedione (DHEA), are natural substances, which the body converts into anabolic androgenic steroids and they increase muscle mass in the body. Similarly, when synthetic anabolic androgenic steroids are consumed they increase muscle mass and strength. Steroids and performance-enhancing drugs increase protein within cells and skeletal muscles.
What is The Therapeutic Use of Anabolic Steroids?
There are various medical conditions where anabolic androgenic steroids are used therapeutically in medicine:
- To increase appetite and stimulate muscle growth
- Induce male puberty
- Treat chronic wasting conditions
- Osteoporosis in Post Menopausal Woman
- AIDS
- Cancer
Benefits of Performance Enhancing Drugs
Benefits of PEDs can include increasing speed, strength, and endurance, these drugs may also improve performance by making changes in behavior and perception.
It helps in increasing muscle strength and body mass. Studies reveal that individuals who use steroids in a balanced dosage get stronger and larger muscles. The administration of anabolic androgenic steroids includes sustained morphological changes in human skeletal muscles, leading to enhancement in physical performance.
Steroids increase the healing rate, promote health and improve physical functioning. Wound healing requires restoration and improvement in net protein synthesis. Also reduces inflammation caused by certain sicknesses or allergies.
What Are The Side Effects of Anabolic Steroids?
A variety of side effects can occur when anabolic androgenic steroids are used without qualified medical professionals or are misused. Side effects of steroids may range from mild effects to harmful or life-threatening even heart attack. Most of the side effects are reversible if the user stops taking it further. However, other side effects may be permanent or irreversible.
Serious and life-threatening side effects may be underreported because they appear many years later and users do not realize it.
One study on animals found that exposing male mice to anabolic androgenic steroids for one-fifth of their lifespan caused a high frequency of early deaths.
Possible Adverse Effects of Nandrolone or Steroids
Cardiovascular System
Prolonged use of anabolic steroids can affect adversely your heart and cardiovascular system which may include:
- High blood pressure
- Blood clots & stroke
- Artery damage
- Decreases the functions of the heart’s ventricles
- Heart attack
Bodybuilding Steroids contribute to high cholesterol levels by increasing Low-Density Lipoproteins (LDL) also called bad cholesterol and, by decreasing the level of High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) which is called good cholesterol.
Hormonal Imbalances
Side Effects in Males:
- Oligospermia (Decreased Sperm Production)
- Enlarged Breasts (Gynecomastia)
- Testicular Atrophy (Shrinking of Testicles)
- Testicular Cancer
- Enlarged Prostate
- Prostate Cancer
- Priapism (Frequent and Prolonged Erection of the Penis)
- Low Libido (Altered Intrest in Having Sexual Intercourse)
- Male pattern Baldness
Side effects in Females:
- Decreased Breast Size
- Excessive Hair Growth on Body (Virilism)
- Male Pattern Baldness
- Voice Deepening
Infections and Skin Disorders
- Risk of HIV/AIIDS
- Hepatitis/Jaundice
- Severe Acne
- Oily Scalp and Skin
- Abscess on Injection Site
Psychiatric Effects
- Over Excitement
- Mania
- Aggressive Behavior
- Irritability
- Delusions
- Difficulty Sleeping
- Depression
Others
- Visible Water Retention
- Leg Cramps
- High Amount of Calcium in Blood
