Anabolic steroids are medications that are manufactured forms of testosterone. The technical term for these compounds is “anabolic-androgenic steroids” (AAS). “Anabolic” refers to tissue building (mainly muscle), and “androgenic” refers to a group of sex hormones called androgens.
Testosterone is the main androgen. It stimulates the development of male characteristics. Levels of testosterone are naturally much higher in men and people assigned male st birth (AMAB) than in women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB).
Healthcare providers mainly prescribe anabolic steroids to treat low testosterone (male hypogonadism). But they use it for other conditions as well, such as to stimulate muscle growth for people with certain cancers or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Some athletes, bodybuilders and others misuse these drugs in an attempt to enhance performance and/or improve their physical appearance. Anabolic steroids are the most common appearance- and performance-enhancing drugs (APEDs). Anabolic steroid misuse is common. Approximately 3 to 4 million people in the United States use anabolic steroids for nonmedical purposes.
