Revised July 2012 “Anabolic steroids” is the familiar name for
synthetic variants of the male sex hormone testosterone. The
proper term for these compounds is anabolic-androgenic steroids
(abbreviated AAS)—“anabolic” referring to muscle-building and
“androgenic” referring to increased male sexual characteristics.
Anabolic steroids can be legally prescribed to treat conditions
resulting from steroid hormone deficiency, such as delayed
puberty, as well as diseases that result in loss of lean muscle
mass, such as cancer and AIDS. But some athletes, bodybuilders,
and others abuse these drugs in an attempt to enhance
performance and/or improve their physical appearance. How Are
Anabolic Steroids Abused? Anabolic steroids are usually either
taken orally or injected into the muscles, although some are
applied to the skin as a cream or gel. Doses taken by abusers
may be 10 to 100 times higher than doses prescribed to treat
medical conditions. Steroids are typically taken intermittently
rather than continuously, both