Steroids and Their Many Uses

Steroids come in different forms and are used for different reasons. Not all steroids are anabolic steroids and are used to get ripped, huge, or increase athletic performance. Different steroid types are used for varying things. Steroids can be classified in a variety of ways and the medical definitions for each steroid vary. However, all steroids are grouped into three main categories. The three main steroid categories are as follows:


1) Corticosteroids. These steroids are related to the hormones in the body associated with the adrenal cortex. This category of steroid is often found in over the counter and prescription medication such as creams used to treat rashes.

2) Androgens. This is the category of steroid that gets the bad reputation. Many athletes abuse this steroid in order to gain a competitive edge. These steroids are related to the male sex hormone, Testosterone. Despite the abuse of these steroids, androgens are also used for many different medical reasons such as weight gain, cancer, and growth stimulation. If you were to buy steroids for increased muscle mass, a better physique, or to become a better athlete this is the type of steroid you would be getting.

3) Estrogens and Progestogens. These steroids are associated with the female sex hormones and are often found in prescription birth control. This category of steroid is definitely not used by athletes. It is used primarily for medical purposes.

Keep in mind there are multiple types of steroids within each of the main categories. There are many different uses for the varying types of steroids which can range from increased athletic performance to helping patients deal with inflammation problems such as arthritis.

Punishment for Steroid Abuse

Steroids are widely used in the United States by athletes in order to enhance performance, and by a lot on non-athletes in order to obtain that ripped boy or to simply get stronger. There is no doubt that the anabolic steroid can work wonders for people trying to achieve goals that might not otherwise be obtainable. However, when things seem too good to be true they often are.

Even though steroids are a powerful that when used wisely can yield amazing results, there are also some serious consequences associated with the substance. There are not only health consequences but legal penalties as well. Listed below are some of the penalties one might face if caught using or selling the drug.

In 1991 Congress placed anabolic steroids into schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. Under this legislation steroids are defined as:

Any drug or hormonal substance, chemically and pharmacologically related to T (other than estrogens, progestins, and corticosteroids) that promotes muscle growth.

- Maximum of 1 year in prison and a $1,000 fine for using or buying steroids.

- Penalty for trafficking for a 1st offense is a maximum of 5 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine

- 2nd offense for trafficking the punishment above doubles

The above mentioned penalties are for federal offenses. Individual states also have also implemented fines and penalties that vary from state to state

Harmful Side Effects of Steroid Use

Steroids can do many great things for your body. Taking the drug can give you that chiseled, hard look that you’ve always wanted, they can increase your athletic ability tremendously, and they can also make stronger much faster than working out the naturally. Unfortunately as with most things in life, something this good always has a down side. There are some harmful side effects associated with taking the drug that can have serious health consequences as well. Therefore, when buying steroids online you should always be aware of the side effects that could be associated with the product you’re purchasing. The severity of the side effects can vary from person to person.

Here is a short list of things that can happen from taking steroids.

 Steroids can cause heart disease.
If steroids are abused, there is a possibility of developing heart disease. It is reported that the risk of heart disease can be 2.5 times greater in a steroid user than that of a non-steroid user.

 Liver Damage
Variables such as the type of steroid you’re taking and the length of time you’ve been taking the drug can affect the damage done to your liver. Taking steroids can cause the liver can become overly stressed and long term damage can be a possibility.

 Negative effects on the reproductive system
Males can become impotent and have problems urinating while taking steroids. Men can experience longer erections or a higher frequency of erections yet a decrease in sperm production, which could result in becoming sterile. Most of these side effects are irreversible.

In addition to the side effects mentioned above there are several other significant side effects that can occur from steroid use. There also minor side effects that can occur such as hair loss and acne while taking the drug.

Legal Steroids

Anabolic steroid use in the United States is illegal and can result in punishment by law enforcement. However, if you want to take steroids but do not want to risk getting caught and getting into trouble with the law then legal steroids are something to look into. There are both pros and cons of using legal steroids. The most obvious pro is that they are legal. However, legal steroids simply do not work as well as the real thing. If they did why would anyone being taking the real deal and risk being caught when they could do it legally. Some of the reasons you might consider taking legal steroids are:

- Legal steroids are the closest thing you can get to real steroids that are legally available.

- Some of the products on the market can produce great results. However, you have to be very

wary when buying these legal steroids. First and foremost you want to make sure what you’re

buying will actually work for the goals you have in mind. There are plenty of products out there

that they claim they work just as good as the real thing however, they do not.

Reasons you would want to buy the real thing vs. the legal steroid include:

- Effectiveness. Legal steroids lack the ingredients that make real anabolic steroids so effective.

- Expensive. Most of the legal steroids are just as much if not more as the real deal. So why

purchase something that is not going to work as well and spend the same amount of money.

- Legality of the substance. In order to legally take the real anabolic steroids for sale you would

need a prescription in order to not get into trouble with the law. By taking legal steroids there is

no need to worry about getting into trouble.

Overall, Legal steroids will not work as well as the real deal. However, there are some out there that have been reported to yield good results. You just have to do the research to find the right one.

Should Steroids be banned in Bodybuilding?

Over the past several years there has been a heated debate as to whether or not anabolic steroids should be banned from the sport of bodybuilding. Here is a list of pros and cons as to why steroids should and should not be banned from the sport.

Cons (Why the drug should be banned)
- Steroids are illegal and should not be abused by anyone

- The health of the athletes. There are numerous adverse health side effects associated with taking steroids and the use of steroids in bodybuilding could be harmful to the health of the athletes.

- It could make the sport fairer for every athlete. There are some athletes that do not wish to take the substance, however, there is no way they can compete with athletes that are. Therefore, a ban of steroids could bring the sport back down to more of a level playing field.

Pros (Why the drug should not be banned)
- The sport could drastically lose fans. Bodybuilding for fans is about seeing huge freakish athletes on the stage. Without the use of steroids the physique of these athletes would not be near what they are in the sport today. Therefore, the sport could suffer drastically.

- By taking steroids out of the sport it could cost the fans more money to get into the events, therefore could make the sport less popular. If steroids are taken out of the sport then strenuous drug testing would have to be administered to each athlete on a regular basis. This would cost a lot of money. The cost would probably be passed down to the fans in terms in ticket prices, etc.

As there are many more arguments for and against the ban of steroid use in the sport of bodybuilding these are probably the most subjective. It is a very hard decision to make because the well-being of the sport could be in great jeopardy if steroids were banned.

Do Teenagers Use Steroids?

With the increased tends and usage of steroids questions about anabolic steroid usage and teens continually arise. Do teenagers actually use this drug? The answer is yes, teens absolutely use the drug for the same reason many professional athletes use the drug. Steroids are used by many teens in order to perform better athletically as well as to obtain that stellar physique.

Many teens that use the drug unfortunately have not done the research that they should have before taking such a serious substance. The use of steroids definitely have some positive effects on athletic performance and muscle gain, however there are some harmful side effects associated with the drug as well that a lot of teens are not aware of.

- Long term adverse effects on the liver
- Testicular atrophy
- Decreased sex drive
- Long term cardiovascular problems

These are just a few of the side effects of using steroids. Some of these can be avoided if the drug is taken properly. However, teens are simply taking the drug without thinking about the long-term health effects. They just want to see results to meet their goals in the quickest way possible. It is unfortunate that the steroid trends are increasing in teens but there is no doubt steroid use is prevalent in high schools today.

Things to look for when Purchasing Steroids Online

The use of steroids for performance enhancement can be very risky; however, it can also yield great reward. Therefore, when you’re buying steroids online it is very important that you know who is supplying you with the drug and exactly what it is that you’re purchasing. There are few key things you to be aware of when making a purchase such as this one via the internet.

1) Ensure the website you are purchasing from is a reputable website and not something you just happen to stumble upon or hear about in passing.
o This is extremely important for many different reasons. When you buy something that can be potentially dangerous such as steroids you definitely want to make sure you are buying it from somewhere you trust. If not you could be getting a product that could harm your body or you could be paying for something that may not do anything at all.

2)Make sure the website either includes instructions on how to take the steroid or sends you the instructions with the product itself.
o This is especially important if you are new to the world of steroids. There are obviously the different types of steroids such as oral and injectable, however, you want to ensure you know the frequency and the dosage of the drug prior to taking it. If this is information you can get from the source of your purchase then it is probably not a good idea to make a purchase from that site.

3)Make sure the side effects are clearly stated.
o If this is a reputable and trustworthy source there should be some sort of disclaimer as to what types of side effects you could experience from taking the steroid. If no such informationis available it’s probably best to find another place to purchase your steroids.

This is simply a short list of things you should be aware prior to buying steroids online, or anywhere for that matter. There are many other things to watch out for as well. Just ensure proper research is performed prior to making a decision such as buying steroids.