Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze?

Juice, roids, gym candy, pumpers and stackers are all common nicknames for substances more technically referred to as anabolic-androgenic steroids.  Anabolic steroids are defined as any type of exogenous drug that mimics the effects of testosterone in the body.  Most people take them with the goal of increasing muscle mass, improving performance or enhancing physical appearance.  It is estimated that as many as 3 million Americans have used non-medicinal anabolic androgenic steroids.  It is difficult to get exact numbers and figures on the prevalence of steroid use in today’s world because of legislature that was passed in 1990 classifying steroids as illegal substances.  It may be hard to believe but the majority of anabolic steroid users are actually non-athletes.  In fact a recent study estimated that 90% of steroid users do not claim sports as a motivator for use. 

There are many different kinds of anabolic-androgenic steroids available. Some of them need to be injected directly in to the muscle, others come in pill form and some can even be administered through a patch.  Unfortunately, more often than not multiple kinds of steroids are taken together which is commonly referred to as “stacking.”  However, users can often get into a lot of trouble by combining multiple substances since the effects of these substances taken together are unknown.

Anabolic steroid use has been shown to increase strength and muscle mass while at the same time decreasing fat mass which is part of what makes them so enticing.  However, the side-effects and safety of these agents is another issue; as the list of possible health risks is endless.  Some of the main categories of side-effects include adverse cardiac, metabolic, reproductive, skin and psychological effects.  Side-effects affecting the cardiovascular system consist of increases in blood pressure, increases in “bad” cholesterol, and an increased risk of blood clots.  All of these can increase one’s chance of suffering a stroke or heart attack.  Long-term steroid use in males has been associated with testicular atrophy, infertility and gynecomastia (the development of breasts).  In females steroid use seems to have a “masculinizing” effect, resulting in the development of male characteristics such as a deepening of the voice, onset of facial hair and baldness.  Steroid users often report problems with skin acne and lesions as well.  Another common side-effect of steroid use is the psychological issues that occur.  For example, a lot of steroid users often report mood swings or increases in aggressive behavior, commonly referred to as “Roid Rage.”  This is just a short list of the known negative side-effects associated with steroid use; the list goes on and on. So if you’re considering taking steroids with the idea of getting bigger, stronger or faster, you must first ask yourself, “Is the juice worth the squeeze?”