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How To Use Steroids In Sports

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Steroid Use in Sports

Steroids are substances that some athletes use to try to improve their athletic performance. Steroid use interrupts normal hormone production in the body. Steroids can cause many side effects.
Anabolic steroids (anabolic-androgenic steroids) are manmade (synthetic) versions of the male sex hormone (testosterone). These steroids can increase muscle size and reduce body fat. They also activate the development of male sexual traits in men and women.
Androstenedione is a type of steroid that the body converts into the female sex hormone (estrogen) and testosterone (anabolic steroid precursor). This means that androstenedione does not help muscles grow on its own, but it gets converted into the type of steroid that does …show more content…

Anabolic-androgenic steroids and androstenedione are banned from all major athletic competitions. Using steroids to improve athletic performance is unsafe, and it gives athletes an unfair advantage in competition. When athletes use steroids to improve their performance, they often take high doses that are considered unsafe. This high dosage can lead to health problems.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), steroids are legal only when they are used to treat certain medical conditions. Tests that screen for steroid use are routinely used in many athletic competitions. There can be severe penalties for athletes who are caught using steroids.
There are several ways of using steroids, including:
• Taking steroids by mouth (orally). This is often dangerous for the liver.
• Injecting steroids into the muscles. Injected steroids often remain in the body for long periods of time.
• Applying steroids to the skin as a cream, gel, or patch.
It is possible to become addicted to steroids. Athletes who use steroids may develop withdrawal symptoms when they stop using steroids. Withdrawal symptoms may include:
• Mood swings.
• Depression.
• Fatigue.

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