1. Anabolic Steroids By Matthew Takamatsu and Stephen Jablonski

2. How Anabolic Steroids Work  Anabolic steroids are drugs that resemble androgenic hormones such as testosterone  Anabolic steroids have been manufactured to enhance the anabolic properties (tissue building)  Steroid hormones work by stimulation of receptor molecules in muscle cells, which activate specific genes to produce proteins. They also affect the activation rate of enzyme systems involved in protein metabolism, thus enhancing protein synthesis and inhibiting protein degradation

3. Biochemistry of Anabolic Steroids  Steroids are fat-soluble hormones with a tetracyclic base structure  The base structure consists of four fused rings: three cyclohexane rings and one cyclopentane  Steroids can easily diffuse across the cell membrane into the cytoplasm

4. Reasons For Taking Anabolic Steroids 1. Improve athletic ability 2. Increase muscle size and strength 3. Used for medical reasons  Anemia  Osteoporosis  Breast cancer  Asthma

5. Physiological Effects in Men and Women Men  Reduced sperm count  Damage to heart  Impotence  Difficulty or pain while urinating  Liver disease or liver cancer  Development of breasts  Shrinking of the testicles Women  Breast reduction  Excessive hair growth  Deepened voice  Enlarged clitoris  Abnormal menstrual cycles

6. Other Side Effects Of Anabolic Steroid Use  Skin irritations  Irritability (roid rage)  Oily skin and acne  Mood swings  Psychiatric disorders (depression)  Bone and tendon damage  Fluid retention  Joint pain  Impaired glucose regulation  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BliPhxYnVtw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BliPhxYnVtw

7. Anabolic Steroids in Athletics  Anabolic steroids are referred to as performance enhancing drugs in sports  Anabolic steroids are believed to enhance athletic performance  Anabolic steroids are banned in most to all major sports and leagues (NFL, NHL, MLB, Olympic games, MLS, etc…)  Drug testing has been implemented in sports

8. Medical Uses for Anabolic Steroids  Treatment of breast cancer: Anabolic steroids have been reported to slow the development of some, but not all, breast cancer in some women  Treatment of hypogonadism: Testosterone is given as a replacement hormone if the testes either do not produce enough hormone or if the testes are damaged or removed  Anemia prevention: anabolic steroids have been used when the kidneys begin to fail in chronic kidney disease to help stimulate red blood cell production and prevent anemia  Osteoporosis treatment: Anabolic steroids help increase bone density and are used as short-term treatment in osteoporosis patients  Treatment of asthma: Steroids and other anti-inflamitory drugs are used to help control asthma and prevent asthma attacks