Anabolic Steroids, as the name suggests are a type of steroid hormones. Their major use is artificial muscle growth, commonly used to enhance various physical capabilities. Anabolic steroids work by increasing protein synthesis in the muscular cells thereby increasing anabolism of muscles. These steroids are derived from the male hormone, testosterone. Therefore, they are also effective in maintaining and developing male sexual qualities.

Discovery and usage

Anabolic steroids were discovered during the early 20th century. Firstly, they were used for purely medical purposes which included stimulation of growth within the body. Mainly targeted were bones, sexual properties and muscular functions. Later, these substances were found to be highly effective in the treatment of cancer and even AIDS.

Side effects

Although very useful from a medical point of view, these steroids produce severe side effects when used without proper medical guidance or in improper doses. The most common side effects are unnatural increase in blood pressure, acne, increase in cholesterol levels, early heart attacks and severe damage to the liver.

Controversy

With the buzz rapidly increasing around anabolic steroids and their effectiveness, they began making their way into the sports industry. Various competitive athletes began using these steroids excessively to enhance their athletic abilities. This excessive usage was mainly due to the fact that the athletes, as well as the general public, were mostly ignorant about their side effects. This led to a lot of controversy and finally, major sports bodies including the Olympics, NBA, FIFA etc. decided to ban their usage.

Presently, anabolic steroids are viewed as controlled substances in many countries including the US, UK and Canada and each nation has strict laws to regulate their distribution and usage. Because of this, demand for these substances has risen remarkably in illegal and black markets, and these steroids are now subject to extensive cross-border smuggling through organized crime.

Many activist organizations, with the help of various international governments are working to increase awareness about the risks of excessive steroid usage.