Anabolic steroids are prescription-only medicines that are sometimes taken without medical advice to increase muscle mass and improve athletic performance.

If used in this way, they can cause serious side effects and addiction.

Anabolic steroids are manufactured drugs that mimic the effects of the male hormone testosterone. They have limited medical uses and aren't to be confused with corticosteroids, a different type of steroid drug that's commonly prescribed for a variety of conditions.

This page explains the dangers of misusing anabolic steroids, and aims to advise and support those who are addicted to the drugs.

Why people misuse anabolic steroids

Anabolic steroids can be used as performance-enhancing drugs that increase muscle mass and decrease fat, as well as causing many undesirable effects. Some athletes, weightlifters and bodybuilders take them regularly to improve their physical performance and build up their bodies.

However, people of all ages have been known to misuse these drugs, including adolescent boys who suffer from body dysmorphic disorder. This is a mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about flaws in their appearance. These flaws are often unnoticeable to others.

Boys and men who have body dysmorphic disorder may take anabolic steroids because they don't see themselves as being physically big enough or strong enough.

Some people believe taking anabolic steroids will help them become fit and healthy. This isn't true taking anabolic steroids is a dangerous drug habit.

How anabolic steroids are taken

Anabolic steroids are usually injected into the muscle or taken by mouth as tablets, but they also come as creams or gels that are applied to the skin.

Many people who use anabolic steroids are aware of the dangers of taking them, and believe that by taking the drugs in certain ways they can avoid side effects.

Users Might

Take the drugs for a period of time and then stop for a rest period before starting again. This is known as "cycling".
Taking more than 1 type of anabolic steroid at a time, known as "stacking" – which they believe makes them work better.
Do a combination of both stacking and cycling known as "pyramiding" – where they start off taking a low dose of 1 or more anabolic steroids, and then increase the dose over time up to a maximum dose. They then stop taking them for a rest period to give the body a break before starting the cycle again.

But there is no evidence that any of these methods actually reduce side effects from taking anabolic steroids.

Users tend to exercise more when they're taking high doses to make the most of their improved performance during this time.

Harmful Effects of Sharing Needles

As anabolic steroids are often injected, there are risks associated with sharing needles. These are the same risks associated with recreational drug use, and include

Damage to veins, leading to ulcers or gangrene.
Hepatitis infection.
Hepatitis C infection.
HIV transmission.

Psychological Effects

Misusing anabolic steroids can also cause the following psychological or emotional effects