Steroids What They Are

Anabolic steroids—also called steroids, 'roids, sauce or juice—are synthetic male hormones that may be taken in pill form or injected. They're illegal in most states except when prescribed for certain kinds of medical conditions.

That They Do

Steroids increase body weight and muscle mass. They may also improve your muscular strength and endurance. Sound attractive? Here's what else they do:

• In males, they can cause sterility, impotence and shrunken genitals.

• In females, steroids can cause breast reduction, menstrual irregularity, sterility and development of permanent masculine traits.

• In teenagers who have not completed their growth, steroids can cause premature fusing of bones, resulting in short height. Teenagers also risk injury due to overdeveloped muscles on an immature frame.

• Other effects include acne, bad breath, swelling of the feet, jaundice, baldness, skin color changes, heart attack, stroke and liver cancer.

Effects on Behavior

What steroids can do to your body isn't the whole story. Steroids can also cause behavior changes ranging from aggression, hostility and irritability to psychotic behavior sometimes called "roid rages."

The Price of "Winning"

When thinking about using steroids, consider the price you're willing to pay to win. What does it mean to win because of a drug instead of because of hard work and talent? Consider, also, that there's no hard evidence that steroids actually improve your athletic performance overall. Hard training is still the most effective way to increase muscle strength and performance.

Getting Help

Steroids are physiologically and psychologically addictive. If you've been using steroids and would like to stop, get help now. Your future health depends on it. Talk to a trusted adult, such as a teacher, counselor or doctor. Or call your local teen hotline, or the National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Routing Service at 800-662-HELP.