Besides a fat bank balance, big cars, fancy gadgets, great hair and a good-looking woman. What is it that men really want? If countless sociological studies are to be trusted, it is that perfectly sculpted masculine physique. But to what lengths are you willing to go?
More and more men today, young and old, are hitting the gym to build a rippled and muscle-bound physique. Many of them believe that regulated diet and a dedicated high intensity work-out routine are not enough to achieve such a look. Athletes and models in particular, tend to be impatient and require quick results. Paradoxically, athletes and actors tend to be role models for the youth of their times. And some of them are inadvertently sending out a dangerous message to young men, that a bigger physique is a better physique, and results matter, not how you get there. Over the last two decades, anabolic steroid abuse has been increasing among non-athletes, teenagers and women as well, who want to lose weight quickly, and build muscle tone.
Anabolic steroid abuse is more common and psychologically more “acceptable” compared to narcotic drug abuse, as the initial abuse is not driven by the need for immediate euphoria. In fact, most abusers are not even aware that steroids can be addictive, and any attempt to quit is accompanied by severe withdrawal symptoms. Since abusers believe that their steroid consumption is “under control” and they can quit “anytime”, they tend to have a casual attitude towards the severe and long-term health consequences of inappropriate use. While most of these side effects disappear on the discontinuation of the drug, some are irreversible.
“Steroids” or “roids” are the street name for a group of synthetic substances related to male sex hormones. They promote the growth of muscle tissue and the development of male sexual characteristics like facial hair growth. They were developed in the late 1930s to treat medical conditions like delayed puberty, impotence and underdeveloped male gonads. They are even given to treat the chronic malnourishment, muscle wastage and testicular shrinking which is noted in HIV/AIDS patients. More than 100 different anabolic steroids have been developed over the years. In most Western nations, one would need a medical prescription to acquire these drugs. Over the counter use mostly involves illegal steroids which are smuggled from abroad. In developing nations like India, the regulations are more lax, and these drugs are easily available over the counter, and are rather inexpensive. Examples of anabolic steroids include testosterone, androstenedione, stanozolol, durabolin, Nandrolone and Dianobol. Beware of smuggled or counterfeit drugs, as they may be adulterated.
There are 4 common “routes” through which anabolic steroids can be administered- oral pills or “food supplements”, injectable steroids, steroids creams and gels, and steroid skin ‘patches’. While oral administration is the most convenient route, intramuscular steroid injections are the most effective. These drugs are used as self-medication to improve performance in sports and to enhance physical appearance. Some men and women who use these drugs to enhance muscle size, may be suffering from a psychological disorder called ‘muscle dysmorphia’. This is a condition where the sufferer is convinced that his body is small, weak and puny, when in reality his muscles are unnaturally large.
Women suffering from this disorder think that they look plump and flabby, when they are actually quite lean and muscular. Studies have even suggested that some men and women who abuse anabolic steroids, may have been victims of physical or sexual abuse in their childhood. They are trying to build their muscle size to increase their physical strength, overcome their feelings of vulnerability, and sometimes, to appear less feminine. However, the majority of steroid abusers are psychologically normal when they start abusing the drugs.
The main danger from these drugs is from overdosing on them. Athletes and body builders take anabolic steroids in 10 to 100 times their medically recommended dosage. Some “stack” their drugs, meaning they take 2 or more different types of steroids, and can mix oral and/or injectable steroids, sometimes even adding steroids meant for veterinary use. This is done in the belief that combining various kinds of steroids will have an additive effect to using individual drugs singly. At other times, these drugs are used in “pyramids” of 6 to 12 weeks. Here an abuser starts with lower doses of drugs, then continues to increase the dose of the drugs by stacking, till he reaches a peak, then the drugs are gradually tapered till the dose to brought down to zero. This is followed by a drug free phase where the athlete continues to train without the drugs. This pulse is then repeated. Athletes believe that pyramiding gives the body time to adjust to the high doses of steroids, and the drug free period allows the body’s natural hormonal system to recuperate and rebalance. Drugs can also be used in “cycles”, where there are phases of drug abuse (during training) followed by drug free phases (during competition). This method is commonly used to “cheat” in competitive sports, which lead to several sports associations conducting ‘out-of-competition’ dope tests. Sometimes masking drugs are also taken to try to “beat” the dope test by making the test negative. Designer steroids are being continually developed to prevent their use from being detected.
Symptoms of anabolic steroid abuse include weight gain, acne, balding in men and women, excess facial hair and enlarged clitoris in women, increased libido, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, behavioral changes like aggression and mania, stunted physical growth (when taken during one’s teenage years), testicular shrinkage, infertility, breast development in men, and menstrual irregularities in women. It can also cause life-threatening complications like liver cysts and tumors which can bleed out, increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and prostrate cancer. While testicular shrinkage and reduced sperm count is reversible on drug discontinuation, baldness and male breast development is irreversible.
When needles are shared among abusers, it can cause infections at the injection site, create skin abscesses which can spread to other organs like the heart; and spread blood borne viruses like HIV and Hepatitis B.
When taken during pregnancy, they can affect fetal development by causing the development of male features in a female fetus and female features in a male fetus.
The psychotic aggression and manic behavior can include hallucinations and delusions, and have received a lot of attention in the media as “roid rage”. Roid rages have lead to domestic abuse, street fights, arson, armed robberies, rape and even murder. Such episodes do not occur during “drug-free” periods. Anabolic steroids can also cause other mood alterations, euphoria, increased libido, distractibility and confusion.
Anabolic steroids are definitely addictive. Abusers continue to take these steroids despite physically evident signs of negative health effects. Large amounts of time and money can also be spent in acquiring these drugs through risky and illegal means. Trying to quit these drugs “cold turkey” can cause serious withdrawal symptoms like depression, insomnia, mood swings, loss of libido, loss of appetite, muscle aches and fatigue. Depression is the most serious withdrawal symptom, because suicides have been reported among abusers who tried to quit without medical supervision. Another problem is drug dependence.
Athletes must undergo compulsory and random drug testing to detect steroid abuse in the early phases. This unfortunately does not work for the large number of non-athletes who are abusing these drugs. However, schools and colleges can take initiative to train students on the ill effects of steroid abuse. Sports teachers and team coaches must discuss the career-destroying implications of a positive dope test with their students. They must also discuss how proper nutrition, hard work and strength training can help men and women build their bodies without the use of steroids. Anti-depressant medications, behavioral counseling, group counseling sessions and hypnotherapy can help one safely overcome the withdrawal symptoms. Counseling and guidance is important for adolescents who feel severe peer pressure and have unrealistic notions on body image. Parents, teachers and trainers must repeatedly remind their wards that size does not matter, fitness does.
