Steroids are available as anabolic-androgenic steroid drugs, anti-estrogen drugs, and growth hormone and peptide drugs. These drugs are powerful performance-enhancing drugs. There is a wide range of available steroids, such as Anadrol ® (oxymetholone), Dianabol (methandrostenolone), Testosterone, Stenox, Clomid (clomiphene citrate), Viagra (sildenafil citrate), Cialis (tadalifil citrate), Evista (raloxifene), etc.
There are many effects of steroids. The positive effects of steroids are visible when they are used for several medical purposes including stimulation of bone growth, appetite, puberty, and muscle growth. The effects of steroids (anabolic) impressive when they are used for the treatment of several chronic wasting conditions, such as cancer and AIDS. There are anabolic effects of steroids in protein synthesis, muscle mass, strength, appetite and bone growth.
The anabolic effects of steroids are superb when they are used in treating conditions, such as delayed puberty and some types of impotence, which are resulted due to abnormally low amounts of testosterone production in the body.
However, side effects of steroids have made them controversial drugs, but the side effects of steroids are linked with steroid abuse. There are a number of side effects of steroids, if they are over-used wrongly for wrong purposes. Some of the side effects of steroids include elevated cholesterol (increase in LDL, decreased HDL levels), acne, elevated blood pressure, hepatotoxicity, and alterations in left ventricle morphology.
These side effects of steroids have made these drugs stand among the abused drugs. Listed as Schedule III in the Controlled Substances Act, steroids are controlled drugs in United States. Canada and Britain also have laws controlling the use and distribution of steroids.
