Steroids

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Medical Author:

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Dr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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• Steroids Overview
• Different Types of Steroids
• Steroid Abuse Signs and Symptoms
• Side Effects of Prolonged Steroid Abuse
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Diagnosis
• Steroid Addiction Treatment
• Medical Treatment
• Other Therapy
• Prevention
• Prognosis
• For More Information
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Author and Editor
• Read more on Steroids from Healthwise

Steroids Overview

The use of steroids continues to make news and sports headlines as athletes and bodybuilders use them illegally to gain an advantage on the playing field. Anabolic steroids refer to hormones that are either taken orally or by injection that influence the body's hormonal system to produce extra testosterone. The goal of taking anabolic steroids is to increase muscle mass. Anabolic refers to this muscle-building capability. Anabolic steroids should not be confused with corticosteroids, which are used routinely as anti-inflammatory medications to help treat illnesses in which inflammation is part of the disease process.

In today's society, anabolic steroid use has become common to augment sports performance, and abuse of these drugs begins as early as middle school. Studies of high school students reveal that up to 4% of 12th-grade males and 1.2% of females have used anabolic steroids. However, 2.5% of eighth graders also admit to trying anabolic steroids.