Commonly Abused Drugs
Review this page which describes the acute effects and the health risks of both legal and illegal drugs.
Commonly Abused Drugs
Steroids (Anabolic)
Man-made substances used to treat conditions caused by low levels of
steroid hormones in the body and abused to enhance athletic and sexual
performance and physical appearance.
| Street Names | Commercial Names | Common Forms | Common Ways Taken | DEA Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juice, Gym Candy, Pumpers, Roids | Nandrolone (Oxandrin®), oxandrolone (Anadrol®), oxymetholone (Winstrol®), stanozolol (Durabolin®), testosterone cypionate (Depo-testosterone®) | Tablet, capsule, liquid drops, gel, cream, patch, injectable solution | Injected, swallowed, applied to skin | III |
| Possible Health Effects | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short-term | Headache, acne, fluid retention (especially in the hands and feet), oily skin, yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, infection at the injection site. | |||
| Long-term | Kidney damage or failure; liver damage; high blood pressure, enlarged heart, or changes in cholesterol leading to increased risk of stroke or heart attack, even in young people; aggression; extreme mood swings; anger ("roid rage"); paranoid jealousy; extreme irritability; delusions; impaired judgment. | |||
| Other Health-related Issues |
Males: shrunken testicles, lowered sperm count, infertility,
baldness, development of breasts, increased risk for prostate cancer. Females: Facial hair, male-pattern baldness, menstrual cycle changes, enlargement of the clitoris, deepened voice. Adolescents: Stunted growth. Risk of HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases from shared needles. |
|||
| In Combination with Alcohol | Increased risk of violent behavior. | |||
| Withdrawal Symptoms | Mood swings; tiredness; restlessness; loss of appetite; insomnia; lowered sex drive; depression, sometimes leading to suicide attempts. | |||
| Treatment options | ||||
| Medications | Hormone therapy | |||
| Behavioral Therapies | More research is needed to find out if behavioral therapies can be used to treat steroid addiction. | |||