In a few cases, doctors prescribe anabolic steroids. Its use however is recommended with caution as the drug is known to show harmful side effects. Ironically, anabolic steroids are more commonly used for non-medical reasons, and this has been the case since their use to improve performance has become widely known among athletes and bodybuilders. To shed light on what makes people turn to anabolic steroids - or abuse - here are the main reasons:
Professional athletes in their quest for fitness use anabolic steroids. One remembers Canadian athlete Ben Johnson winning the 100-meter Olympics in Seoul in 1988 to set a new world record, but was later stripped of the title when tests revealed he had ingested a banned steroid, stanozolol.
Men with behavioral syndromes, who are believed to look younger and less able to have muscle, use anabolic steroids. Similarly, women with this condition take drugs as they often think they are flabby, even though they are actually thinner and muscular.
It is evident that people who have been physically or sexually abused in the past often use the drug in the belief that it will make them look stronger and more powerful and thus frustrate any future attacks.
Teenagers get caught up in dangerous activities, such as speeding, drunkenness, and the like. They are easily attracted to the use of anabolic steroids.
Are anabolic steroids not used for therapeutic purposes? But yes they are. Some examples are:
Helping patients gain weight after a serious illness, injury, or ongoing infection. They may also be prescribed when patients do not gain weight or do not maintain normal weight for unspecified medical reasons.
Treatment for certain types of anemia and other types of breast cancer in women.
To treat genetic angioedema that causes inflammation of the face, arms, legs, throat, trachea, intestines, or genitals.
