Anabolic Steroids

Anabolic steroids (anabolics) are a class of natural and synthetic steroid hormones that promote cell growth and division, resulting in growth of muscle tissue and sometimes bone size and strength. Testosterone is the best known natural anabolic steroid, as well as the best known natural androgen.

Most anabolics work by activation of androgen receptors, producing anabolic effects. Examples of anabolic effects are:
# Increased protein synthesis from amino acids
# Increased muscle mass and strength
# Increased appetite
# Increased bone remodeling and growth
# Stimulation of bone marrow increasing production of red blood cells

Anabolics are used by track and field athletes, weight lifters, bodybuilders, shot putters, cyclists, professional baseball players, professional wrestlers and others to give them a competitive advantage, and improve their physical appearance or to allow them to better compete with others who have a physical advantage, perhaps from a more fortunate natural endowment of endogenous steroids or from steroid use as well. Steroid use to obtain competitive advantage is prohibited by the rules of the governing bodies of many sports, and officially condoned by none.

Typically bodybuilders, athletes and sportsmen who use anabolics try to minimize the negative side-effects. For example increasing the amount of cardiovascular exercise to help negate the effects of left ventricle hypertrophy. Also many bodybuilders take a Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERM), such as tamoxifen citrate (Nolvadex). The prescription drug tamoxifen binds to the estrogen receptor in the breast, thus significantly reducing the risk of gynecomastia caused by increased estrogen.