Since the 1950's, some athletes have taken steroids to gain strength, build muscle, and boost athletic performance. Other parts of the population have also begun to take steroids as well. Athletes' use of steroids is very popular these days, but even though steroids do produce quick gains in muscle size, they also have some very serious side effects. .
So, what are steroids? Steroids are drug or hormonal substances chemically and pharmacologically related to testosterone (other than estrogen, progestins, and corticosteroids), that promotes muscle growth. They promote the growth of the skeletal muscles , and the development of male sexual characteristics. Generally, if someone wanted to buy the most illicit kind of steroid, he or she could buy it at a gym, at weight lifting or body building competitions, or through mail order operations. Steroids are usually smuggled into the United States, which include, but do not limit such products as: 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, someone can find many counterfeit or false "steroid" products. .
Steroids are, for the most part, illegal, with the very limited number of legal steroids used only and exclusively for veterinary and medical purposes. The primary legitimate use of these drugs in humans is for the replacement of inadequate levels of testosterone resulting from a reduction or absence of functioning testes. Veterinary uses of steroids are to improve weight gain, promote feed efficiency, and improve vigor and hair coat in animals. They are also used in veterinary practice to treat anemia and work against tissue breakdown during illness and trauma.
