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| Steroids
& Steroidal Supplements |
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Anabolic
Steroid abuse has become a national concern. These
drugs are used illicitly by weight lifters, body
builders, long distant runners, cyclists, and others
who claim that the drugs give them a competitive
advantage and/or improve their physical appearance.
Once viewed as a problem associated only with professional
athletes, recent reports estimate that 5 to 12 percent
of male high school students and 1 percent of female
students have used anabolic steroids by the time
they were seniors. Concerns over a growing illicit
market and prevalence of abuse combined with the
possibility of harmful long-term effects of steroid
use, led Congress to place anabolic steroids into
Schedule III of the Controlled Substance Act (CSA).
The CSA defines anabolic steroids as any drug or
hormonal substance chemically and pharmacologically
related to testosterone (other than estrogen, progestins,
and corticosteroids), that promotes muscle growth.
Most illicit anabolic steroids are sold at gyms,
competitions and through mail order operations.
For the most part, these substances are smuggled
into the United States. Those commonly encountered
on the illicit market include: boldenone (Equipose),
ethylestrenol (Maxibolin), fluoxymesterone (Halotestin),
methandriol, methandrostenolone (Dianabol), Depo-Testosterone
Android - 25 (mehyltestosterone), nandrolone (Durabolin,
Deca-Durabolin), oxandrolone (Anavar), oxymetholone
(Anadrol), stanozolol (Winstrol), testosterone and
trenbolone (Finajet). In addition, a number of bogus
or counterfeit products are sold as anabolic steroids.
Source: DEA
STEROIDAL SUPPLEMENTS:
In the United States, supplements such as
dehydroepian-drosterone (DHEA) and androstenedione
(street name Andro) can be purchased legally without
a prescription through many commercial sources including
health food stores. They are often referred to as
dietary supplements, although they are not food
products. They are often taken because the user
believes they have anabolic effects. Steroidal supplements
can be converted into testosterone (an important
male sex hormone) or a similar compound in the body.
Whether such conversion produces sufficient quantities
of testosterone to promote muscle growth or whether
the supplements themselves promote muscle growth
is unknown. Little is known about the side effects
of steroidal supplements, but if large quantities
of these compounds substantially increase testosterone
levels in the body, they also are likely to produce
the same side effects as anabolic steroids.
Source: NIDA Research Report,
"Anabolic Steroid Abuse," April 2000 |
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