Anabolic steroids

Anabolic steroids are a group of steroid hormones capable ofincreasing cell growth and division in the body. Since allsteroids have anabolic and androgenic properties they arescientifically known as AAS - Anabolic Androgenic Steroids. Themost commonly known natural anabolic steroid is testosterone. The anabolic part of the metabolism is responsible for buildinglarger molecules from smaller parts. In the body, anabolism iscombined with catabolism, a process where larger molecules areparted into smaller units. The anabolic processes will build uptissues and organs in the body, including muscles. Anabolicsteroids are therefore sometimes used by athletes, bodybuilders, wrestlers and others with similar occupations to aidmuscle growth. Since anabolic steroids affect a wide range ofbodily functions and come with severe side effects their use isrestricted in many countries and the use of anabolic steroidsare also forbidden for participants of most internationalcompetitions, regardless of the rules in the home country of theparticipant. As mentioned earlier, anabolic steroids also haveandrogenic properties, which mean that they will affect thedevelopment and maintenance of masculine features in the body. Allegedly, anabolic steroids were unintentionally discovered byGerman scientists during the early years of the 1930's. They didnot realize the future potential of their discovery and thestudy was not continued. In 1938, anabolic steroids arementioned in a US magazine for weightlifters and bodybuilders.During the 1940's and 1950's physicians began to use anabolicsteroids to treat a wide range of health problems. The sideeffects were soon discovered, but for some conditions thebenefit of anabolic steroid treatment were still consideredlarger than the down sides. Anabolic steroids are for instancevery potent when male puberty needs to be artificiallystimulated in a patient. Today, testosterone is by far the mostcommon treatment for extremely delayed puberty, but before the1980's synthetic anabolic steroids were used as well. Anabolicsteroids will also stimulate growth in children suffering fromgrowth failure. Today, synthetic growth hormones are used, butuntil the end of the 1980's anabolic steroids were commonlyprescribed. The anabolic steroids have also been replaced in thetreatment of various anemic conditions, since more selectivesynthetic protein hormones are now available. Anabolic steroidsare still used to treat patients suffering from extreme loss ofmuscle mass and devastating lack of appetite due to AIDS orcancer. There are several more or less successful ways of trying tocounter act the side effects of anabolic steroids. Athletes whouse anabolic steroids will typically engage in vigorouscardiovascular exercise in order to work against the effects ofleft ventricle hypertrophy. The risk of developing gynecomastia- large breasts in men - can be lowered by the use of certainother drugs known as aromatase inhibitors and SERMs (SelectiveEstrogen Receptor Modulators). Since anabolic steroids can causepremature hair loss, some users combine the steroids with aprescription drug called Finasteride. In the body, testosteronecan be converted into DHT, a compound known to play a vital rolein male hair loss. Finasteride will inhibit the conversion oftestosterone into DHT, thus lowering the risk of hair loss.