Professional and amateur athletes sometimes use supplements or drugs to improve their
physical performance. Anabolic steroids are probably the most well-known performance-enhancing drugs, and the most dangerous. These synthetic drugs imitate the effects of the male hormone testosterone. The drugs have approved medical uses, but athletes use them to make their muscles bulkier and stronger. Anabolic steroids are especially risky because
they have a number of unwanted side effects. Steroids can cause acne, raise blood pressure,
damage the liver, reduce sperm counts, decrease the size of the testicles, increase the size of the breasts, cause erectile dysfunction, and speed up the development of baldness. Anabolic steroids also can cause mood swings, aggression, and violent behavior. In adolescents they can prematurely stop growth and development. The drugs are either taken in pill form or injected with a hypodermic needle and, if an athlete shares the needle with a friend, he puts himself at risk of contracting a blood-borne infection such as hepatitis (see page 191) or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
(AIDS) (see page 186). If that is not enough to convince you not to use these drugs, you should
also know that possessing or selling Anabolic steroids without a prescription from a doctor is
illegal. Anabolic steroids are not worth the risks. It’s much safer to increase your muscle mass and strength by performing resistance exercises regularly and eating a healthy diet.
