SteroidAbuse.org
Title
National Institute on Drug Abuse - Steroid Abuse Web Site
Description
Consequences of the Abuse of Anabolic Steroids
The Congressional hearings on March 17th, 2005 about the reports of anabolic steroid abuse by professional athletes, many of whom are regarded as role models by young people, highlight the fact that we are now facing a very damaging message that is becoming pervasive in our society - that bigger is better, and being the best is more important than how you get there. There is great risk that adolescents will be vulnerable to these messages about anabolic steroids and will be far less concerned about the long-term health risks to their bodies and their minds.
Anabolic steroids, which are synthetic versions of the primary male sex hormone testosterone, can be injected, taken orally, or used transdermally. These drugs are Controlled Substances that can be prescribed to treat conditions such as body wasting in patients with AIDS, and other diseases that occur when the body produces abnormally low amounts of testosterone. However, the doses prescribed to treat these medical conditions are 10 to 100 times lower than the doses that are abused for performance enhancement.
Let me be clear: while anabolic steroids can enhance certain types of performance or appearance, they are dangerous drugs, and when used inappropriately, they can cause a host of severe, long-lasting, and often irreversible negative health consequences. These drugs can stunt the height of growing adolescents, masculinize women, and alter sex characteristics of men. Anabolic steroids can lead to premature heart attacks, strokes, liver tumors, kidney failure and serious psychiatric problems. In addition, because steroids are often injected, users risk contracting or transmitting HIV or hepatitis.
Additional Information
Related Domains
- Addiction
- Addiction Research
- Addiction Statistics
- Addiction Therapies
- Anabolic Steroids
- Bodybuilding
- Drug Abuse
- Drug Addiction
- Drug Dependence
- Drug Resources
- Drug Treatment
- Drug Use Abuse Information
- Drug Use Abuse Research
- Drug Use Abuse Statistics
- Drug Use Abuse Treatment
- Drugs
- Health
- Illegal Drug Use Abuse
- Illicit Drug Use Abuse
- Kids And Teens
- Mechanism Of Addiction
- Sports
- Steroid Abuse
- Steroids
- Strength Sports
- Substance Abuse
- Supplements
- Teen Drug Abuse Addiction
- Teen Drug Use Abuse
- Kids and Teens