Q: What are steroids?
A: Steroids are a group of drugs that are similar to a male hormone called testosterone. Most people know that people who want to get bigger and stronger in a hurry, may use steroids. The steroids taken by these people are called anabolic steroids, which just means that they build muscles. Another type of steroids are androgenic steroids and these make people more masculine.
Q: Are steroids illegal?
A: Steroids are legal for use by veterinarians and doctors. It is illegal to sell or buy them on the street. When steroids are sold on the street or in a gym, they are often mixed with other things and can be dangerous.
Steroids are also banned from amateur sports like the Olympics and most professional sports. Several Olympic athletes have lost their medals after they were tested and found to have used steroids to bulk up.
Q: What are some of the effects of steroids?
A: Steroids can make you less tired and leave you more determined to exercise. If that exercise is intense and done along with a nutrition program, steroids can increase lean muscle mass and strength.
Q: So what is the problem with them?
A: The problem is that steroids have side effects and none of them are very pretty. Some known side effects are acne (and not just on the face, but all over the body) high blood pressure, more cholesterol in your body and impotence.
Q: Are there different side effects if you take a lot of steroids?
A: Yes, besides the acne and the impotence, people who take large doses of steroids can lose control of their emotions. They can be really aggressive and irritable and have difficulty controlling their temper. Little things can make them really angry and this is what is sometimes called “roid rage.” Large doses can also cause depression, sleep problems and anxiety.
Q: What happens if these large doses are taken regularly for months or years?
A: Large doses taken as pills can cause stomachaches, nausea and vomiting.
People who inject steroids and share needles risk infections, including hepatitis and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
Q: Are there different effects for men and women? What about teenagers?
A: Teens using high doses can have their growth permanently stunted so they might be bigger but they are also shorter.
Men can develop painful, enlarged breast and shrunken testicles. Women often grow more facial and body hair. They can also experience an enlarged clitoris, reduced breast size, irregular periods, deepened voices, and male-pattern baldness. Many of these effects are irreversible.
Q: I'm afraid to ask, but is there anything else?
A: You bet there is. People who use steroids can develop a dependence on them. That means they will go through withdrawal when they stop using. They can feel sick to their stomach, have headaches, sweat a lot, feel dizzy and be depressed.
© Watari Youth Day Treatment Program
Adapted from 2001-2002 AADAC – Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission, corp.aadac.com
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