Anabolic Steroid Analysis

When talking about steroids, people often refer to Anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids are a synthetic substance related to the male sex hormone (testosterone). Anabolic steroids have androgenic properties that include the development of masculine characteristics such as the growth of vocal cords, testicles and body hair. Anabolic steroids are used as performance enhancing drugs to advance the ability to do work and exercise but there are complications of using anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids help the development of lean muscle growth as steroids increase protein synthesis and reduce nitrogen excretion, which leads to increased muscle mass. Steroids also promote the change of the male characteristics. Anabolic steroids can be taken either orally or as an injection, which is more common, as taking steroids in pill form is more dangerous since most oral steroids are toxic to the liver. (Drug Abuse, 2006) Steroids are injected using a needle and injected directly into the muscle. Injectable steroids are administered into the muscle instead of the vein, to circumvent unexpected changes in the quantity of the drug in the bloodstream. After injected, the body then absorbs the liquid and the compound enters the systemic circulation. The absorption rate also varies on the user. (CESAR, 2014)

Cycling and stacking are two common ways to using steroids. Steroids are taken in cycles with injections followed by a stage of rest; this is done to reduce side effects. When you are using steroids you are considered to be “on-cycle” and when you are resting you are considered to be “off-cycle”. Stacking is when steroid users use more than one type of steroid at a time. It is believed that if you use two or more types of steroids at a time increases the efficiency of each. (Medicine Net,