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pulled from site's meta descriptionMy Account Order Status Wish Lists View Cart Sign in or Create an account Live Chat by Comm100 Advanced Search | Search Tips HomeTrack ShipmentsSend PaymentsShipping & Re-Shipping Policy Reshipping policyPayment Terms www.progressivedentalandortho.com Click Here Categories Special Offers Anti Anxiety Anti Estrogens Domestic Products Exclusive Benzo Deals Exclusive Injectables Deals Generic Medicine Health Growth Hormones (HGH) Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) Hydrochlorides (HCL) Injectable 10ml Vials Injectable Steroids Oral Steroids Pain Relievers Sexual Health Enhancers Syringes & Needles Weight Loss Our Newsletter Your First Name:Your Email Address: http://www.macromass.us Tue, 12 Mar 2013 20:29:23 +0000 Click to enlarge and see the real thing Featured Products Testosterone Enanthate 250mg/ml Aburaihan x 200 amps $400.00 Add To Cart Sustanon 250mg Organon Karachi Pakistan x 200 amps $500.00 Add To Cart Xanax (Alprazolam) ALP 1mg by Hilton Pharma x 1 Blister $4.00 Add To Cart Magnus MR (Morphine Sulphate) 30mg by AGP x 60 Capsules (Shipping Included) $250.00 Add To Cart Ritalin 10mg by Novartis x 90 Tablets (Shipping Included) $130.00 Add To Cart Sustanon 250mg Organon Karachi Pakistan x 300 Amps (Shipping Included) $700.00 Add To Cart Anavar (Oxandrolone) 5mg x 50 Tablets by LA Pharma x 1 Pack $75.00 Add To Cart Sosetiech (Pentazocine) 30mg/ml by Uni-Tiech Pharma x 5 Amps $10.00 Add To Cart Testonon 250 mg by Zafa x 1 amp $2.50 Add To Cart Nolvadex 10mg x 100 Tablets $75.00 Add To Cart Generic Temazepam Eggs 30mg x 50 Eggs $50.00 Add To Cart Kamagra (Sildenafil Citrate) 100mg by Ajanta Pharmacy x 100 Tablets $75.00 Add To Cart New Products Daz 10 mg Diazepam 1 pack (1000 Tablets) Include shipping $120.00 Add To Cart Ketamine HCL Crystals x 20 Grams(Shipping Included) $270.00 Add To Cart Rivotril (Clonazepam) 2mg by Roche x 1000 Strips (Shipping Included) $1,770.00 Add To Cart Rivotril (Clonazepam) 2mg by Roche x 500 Strips (Shipping Included) $1,055.00 Add To Cart Rivotril (Clonazepam) 2mg by Roche x 50 Strips (Shipping Included) $190.00 Add To Cart Rivotril (Clonazepam) 2mg by Roche x 40 Strips (Shipping Included) $170.00 Add To Cart Rivotril (Clonazepam) 2mg by Roche x 30 Strips (Shipping Included) $150.00 Add To Cart Rivotril (Clonazepam) 2mg by Roche x 20 Strips (Shipping Included) $130.00 Add To Cart Rivotril (Clonazepam) 2mg by Roche x 10 Strips (Shipping Included) $110.00 Add To Cart Sustanon 250mg Organon Karachi Pakistan x 300 Amps (Shipping Included) $700.00 Add To Cart Ritalin 10mg by Novartis x 150 Tablets (Shipping Included) $150.00 Add To Cart Ritalin 10mg by Novartis x 120 Tablets (Shipping Included) $140.00 Add To Cart Ritalin 10mg by Novartis x 90 Tablets (Shipping Included) $130.00 Add To Cart Ritalin 10mg by Novartis x 60 Tablets (Shipping Included) $120.00 Add To Cart Kinz Nalbuphine 20mg From Sami x 100 Amps $300.00 Add To Cart Kinz Nalbuphine 20mg From Sami x 10 Amps $40.00 Add To Cart Nolvadex (Tamoxifen Citrate) 20mg by AstraZeneca Poland x 1 Strip $12.00 Add To Cart Cypionax (Testosterone Cypionate) 2ml by Body Research x 100 Amps (Shipping Included) $700.00 Add To Cart Anavar (Oxandrolone) 5mg x 50 Tablets by LA Pharma x 10 Packs (Shipping Included) $1,000.00 Add To Cart Anavar (Oxandrolone) 10mg x 30 Tablets by LA Pharma x 10 Packs (Shipping Included) $1,300.00 Add To Cart T3-Cytomel 100 mcg LA Pharma x 10 Bottles (Shipping Included) $500.00 Add To Cart Clenbuterol 20mcg x 10 Bottles (Shipping Included) $650.00 Add To Cart Cialis (Tadalifil Citrate) 20mg x 100 Blisters (Shipping Included) $700.00 Add To Cart Viagra (Sildenafil Citrate) 100mg by Pfizer x 100 Blisters (Shipping Included) $1,000.00 Add To Cart STEROIDS FOR SPORTS ENHANCEMENT For as long as athletic competition has existed men have experimented with food products, herbs, medications and just about everything they could think of that might provide a performance enhancing edge. Finally, after much trial and error they eventually hit upon a synthetic version of the male sex hormone testosterone, the pituitary gland produced chemical messengers at the core of what makes men manly. Although the popular media is wrong about anabolic androgenic steroids(AAS) being primarily used by athletes, as illustrated by historic and contemporary headlines, these drugs were and are still very much a part of the wide world of sports. From football to track & field, baseball to cycling and apparently everywhere in between performance enhancement via AAS usage seems here to stay. This section will expand on these topics by providing historical background, contemporary factual information, and an individual look at some of the sports that have more prominently featured AAS in recent history. The following is a small informational component of a larger educational website designed to raise awareness. More specifically, it is NOT intended to encourage readers to use AAS for performance enhancement or recreational use, but rather to equip them with the truth about anabolic steroids regarding their past and present roles in athletic performance enhancement. PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT HISTORY The story of steroid use in sports began just before the World Weightlifting Championships of 1954. The Soviets had made their Olympic debut in Helsinki in 1952, and made quite an impact, but nothing compared to the show they put on in ‘54. That year they easily dominated most of the weight classes. As the story goes, John Ziegler (team physician for the United States) questioned the Soviet team's doctor who openly stated (as it wasn't against the rules) that his team had been receiving testosterone injections. According to some unconfirmed sources, testosterone preparations were also used by Germany's Olympic team in 1936 during the Berlin Olympics. At that time, there were rumors that an Olympic medal winner had previously used oral testosterone preparations, but benefits from such administration (due to the technology at the time regarding oral testosterone) would have been minor. In the case of the Soviets however, rumors of discarded syringes in their dressing rooms made it clear that they were not using oral steroids, they were using something very different. And everyone wanted to know what it was. That wasn't the first time anabolic performance enhancement had been attempted. As far back as the original Olympic Games in ancient Greece, athletes ingested various herbs and foods with the hopes of improving their performance. Attempts to increase testosterone were documented as early as 776 BC by Olympic athletes who ingested sheep testicles, which they knew to be a source of Testosterone production (3). The big winner in the 480 B.C. Olympic Games said he ate nothing but meat for 10 months prior to the games. Few people back then knew that meat is especially high in B-vitamins and Creatine, both of which can enhance performance. Although eating a meat only diet for ten straight months, and ingesting sheep testicles might seem extreme to us now, it was a small price to pay for the prize money offered back then. Some records state that up to 1,200 days pay was the reward for winning a single event. Back then there were no participation medals, and they didn't compete for the love of the game, to give it their best shot, or even for pride. They competed for large amounts of both money and prestige (1), which is why they sought out performance enhancers. That story may sound familiar, like perhaps one you?ve heard on TV or in magazines concerning modern-day AAS use in sports. Today's athletes, especially professional ones, have very lucrative contracts and sponsorship deals. Since steroids are known to enhance performance, reduce and repair injuries, and lengthen careers, using them seems like a no-brainer. So it should be no surprise to most people that when Dr. Ziegler returned to the US, he immediately began researching testosterone and trying to develop something better for his athletes. What he developed, with the help of the Ciba pharmaceutical company was the AAS called Methandrostenolone, more widely known as Dianabol. This late1956 development marked the invention of the first anabolic steroid that wasn't simply testosterone. By the time the early 1960s rolled around, Ziegler's weightlifters were dominating the American weightlifting circuit. Since then, many different steroids, each with their own distinct set of characteristics have been developed. By the late 1960's the East Germans had also entered the fray, and were giving steroids to all athletes as part of a state sponsored program to bolster national pride. In 1968, Dr. Manfred Hoeppner, East Germany's Chief Medical Officer, wrote and submitted a report to the government in which he recommended the total collective administration of steroids to the entire East German Olympic team (2). In the couple of decades that followed this report, the East Germans? presence was felt at every major world-wide sporting event. From the Olympics to World Championships, they took home both medals and new world records. Of course, there have been other documented instances of a thletes taking various drugs and other substances in an attempt to enhance their performance. Thomas Hicks, an American marathoner who won the gold medal in the 1904 Olympics, had to be revived after he drank Brandy lased with cocaine and strychnine. A couple of decades later American sprinters attempted to use nitroglycerine to dilate (expand) their coronary arteries, they later switched to experimenting with the amphetamine Benzidrine. Many such compounds have been used, but none are as powerful (provided such rapid increases in strength) as AAS. For this reason, Dianabol was quickly made available to anyone looking for that extra edge. It helped manybodybuilders, weightlifters, football players, and Olympic athletes train harder, longer and more efficiently and is still the most popular form of AAS today. As all steroids can do, it enhances protein synthesis allowing new muscle to be built at a rate that far exceeds normalcy. Athletes soon realized that the increased muscle power and strength from AAS translated into large financial rewards, and the sports industry has never looked back. If you were an athlete looking to take your career farther, Dianabol was going to be an indispensible part of your dietary intake. At this point, the "steroidarms-race" was in full swing. Athletes all over the world wanted to know where to get them and how to use them, and countries were scrambling to develop the latest forms. Then, oddly, in 1968 there was an official complaint about steroids made by the World Health Organization (WHO). This complaint wasn't placed by sports authorities, or even professional league officials, it came straight from the WHO, and is significant because it laid the foundation for future controls. Steroids were being over produced by the major pharmaceutical firms, and were subsequently shipped to certain third world countries, where doctors would receive a kickback for prescribing large amounts of them. Kenya and Jamaica were the main countries where this was happening, and they (predictably) did very well for themselves at the Olympics that year. Suddenly, a ban on AAS was issued by the International Olympic Council (IOC), and in the coming decades most professional sports organizations would follow suit. The original ban on anabolic steroids was allegedly enacted for ethical and moral concerns, not safety (as is often thought). Shortly after the first ban on performance enhancers came the first athlete caught breaking that ban. In 1972, an American swimmer named Rick De Mont was found to be using a newly banned substance called ephedrine. At that time, ephedrine was an approved medication for asthma, and Mr. De Mont was an asthmatic with a prescription for it. Two years prior, Arnold Schwarzeneggerwon his first of seven Mr. Olympia titles, reportedly with the aid of Dr. Ziegler's little blue Dianabol pills. AAS use in the Olympics went on, for the next couple of decades, in a game of Cat & Mouse game between the athletes and the IOC. For the most part, the athletes were very successful in avoiding positive drug tests. The East Germans developed several novel compounds that masked detection, and were only caught when word of them somehow leaked out. The Russians and Americans were also very successful at hiding usage. In the background professional bodybuildingmarched onward with competitors taking ever-increasing amounts of AAS and other drugs, pushing the limits and serving as guinea pigs for upper range testing. In 1987 the National Football League introduced its anti-steroid policy, but Major League Baseball was without such restrictions. By the 1990?s, steroids were fully assimilated into society and their use had penetrated every possible sport from the professional ranks down to the high school level. There were the occasional scandals here and there, but nothing really captured the general public's attention for very long. STEROIDS IN BASEBALL It's no secret what's going on in baseball, at least half the guys are using steroids. They talk about it. They joke about it with each other. The guys who want to protect themselves or their image by lying have that right. Me? I'm at the point in my career where I've done just about every bad thing you can do. I try to walk with my head up. I don't have to hold my tongue…" (p.36) - Ken Caminiti, Sports Illustrated, June 2002 Major League Baseball (MLB) was the last professional sports organization in the United States to implement a comprehensive drug testing policy. This all started when an over-the-counter nutritional supplement bottle was seen in Mark McGwire's locker. The bottle in question contained the prohormone Androstendione, a compound which can convert into testosterone once inside the body. Unfortunately, McGwire was en route to breaking a decades' long standing home-run record that season, a fact which punctuated the bottle's discovery. McGwire retired shortly after breaking that record, but the story of steroids in baseball went ahead at full speed. Just a few short years later, Ken Caminiti revealed to Sports Illustrated that he used anabolic steroids, and further estimated that roughly fifty percent of the players in the league were using them as well. This admission opened the floodgates for the media to begin their full scale assault on MLB. Jose Canseco, in a book published during the height of the steroids in baseball media coverage, estimated that 85% of all players in MLB used steroids, and also admitted using them. That's two All-Star big leaguers with two very conflicting percentages. Not only was Caminiti?s story the earliest major media admission of steroid use, but it was also one of the most influential. This chart illustrates the media attention given to AAS in baseball for the weeks preceding and following the Sports Illustrated piece on Caminiti. Week fourteen is when the piece was published. As you can see, his story was followed by hundreds of mainstream media publications. The most famous AAS story in the in sports is that of Jason Giambi and Barry Bonds. Both of those players were suspected of using anabolic steroids when the BALCO scandal was exposed. Giambi told a U.S. grand jury that he used a duo of undetectable steroids known respectively as "the cream" and "the clear," both of which he received from personal trainer Greg Anderson during the 2003 season. Bonds, on the other hand claimed that his trainer told him the substances were the nutritional supplement flaxseed oil and a pain-relieving balm for his arthritis. There were also claims that a transcript of Bonds? entire testimony was leaked to the press, and that according to a transcript of Bonds? Dec. 4, 2003 testimony he admitted to using the following substances: the cream; the clear; human growth hormone; Depot-Testosterone; insulin and; a drug for female infertility that can be used to mask steroid use. Bonds? attorney, Michael Rains, said the leak of the testimony was simply engineered to discredit Mr. Bonds. It is also important to note that none of these substances were banned by MLB at that time. So did all this media attention hurt baseball? The answer is a resounding "no". Baseball attendance was in a slump before McGwire was en route to his home-run record, but they've been climbing ever since. Are all the additional home runs a result of steroid use? Well, it's easy to say we need to put asterisks on every record set during the "steroid era" of baseball, but that would give too much credit to steroids alone. Of course training methods and nutrition are part of the puzzle, but the other piece is probably not as obvious. In the mid-?90s starting in the American League, and in the late ?90s starting in the National League, home runs started to become more and more common. Although AAS are often blamed, there could be another culprit. The construction of more "homer-friendly" ballparks also has something to do with it. Coors Field, a recent addition to the MLB stable of fields has become the most prolific run-scoring park in the history of MLB. Enron Field was also built (reincarnated into the more media friendly "Minute Maid Park"), actually has a very homer friendly left field line that was (and still may be) a violation of MLB rules. The Milwaukee Brewers, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Texas Rangers have also built friendlier fields in recent years, as have the Arizona Diamondbacks. For their part, the Cardinals, Orioles, and White Sox have pulled in the distance from home-plate to their outfield fences as well. Need I also add that the strike zone has become much more beneficial to hitters since the era of Roger Maris? Still, the questions remain, about AAS in Major League baseball. Do major league players use steroids? Of course they do! Can we say that steroids are the reason for the inflated home-run statistics of recent years? Of course not. With multi-million dollar contracts on the line every season, the only fact that we can be sure of is that steroids are being used in baseball, and they will continue to be used for as long as players can get away with it. Congress recently chimed in and pressured MLB into instituting a comprehensive testing policy for their athletes, but AAS use in baseball is unlikely to decline considerably as a result of this...there's just too much at stake! STEROIDS IN FOOTBALL The steroid policy in the National Football League (NFL) began in 1987. But to understand the use of steroids in football, first we need to take a look at the emerging trends in the high school and collegiate ranks. So what's being learned in high school these days? Well, if we examine the heights and weights of members of the annual Parade Magazine's High School All-American Football Teams from 1963-1971, we see no significant changes in the Body Mass Index of these elite high-school athletes. Now, if we take another look and examine those same players? heights and weights but this time we compare 1972-1989, we see a clear trend towards an increase in Body Mass Index (11). These are interesting results, to say the least. If we further consider an elite collegiate program such as Michigan State University, we see this trend again. In 1975, the Spartans' average player weighed 213lbs, and by 2005 that weight had jumped to 236lbs (12). With regards to football, it would seem that current educational efforts are not working well. High school level AAS education was studied on six different campuses. Two football teams received a lecture on steroids and a four-page handout, two of them were given just the handout, and two teams were controls (didn't receive any education on steroids). Also, at this level, the incidence of self-report of current steroid use was 1.1%. After the athletes received their educational interventions which focused on the possible adverse effects from AAS use, no significant difference in their attitudes toward the use of AAS occurred as compared to the control groups (13). So at least from the results of this study, we can conclude that education in its current form isn't changing the attitudes of elite level football players in high-school. That plus the fact that their getting progressively bigger, makes a strong case. Using this starting point we can better assess AAS use in professional football. So what does the landscape of professional football look like anyway? This storyline is very similar to that of the high school and collegiate ranks. For example, today's NFL linemen are weighing (on average) well over 300lbs, when roughly 25 years ago they weighed a substantial 50lbs less (13). The most famous story of steroid use in the NFL is that of Lyle Alzado. In 1992 (seven years) after having a successful career in the NFL, Alzado at age 43 died from a very rare form of brain cancer called brain lymphoma. In the years preceding his death, Lyle became an often used symbol of the dangers of steroid abuse. Unfortunately, there is absolutely no medical link between AAS and brain lymphoma (a fact agreed upon by Lyle's primary physician), and there was absolutely no reason for Alzado to believe his condition could have been attributed to his steroid use. He could just as easily have made the exact same evidence-free claim about his Gatorade drinking. The story of Bill Romanowski is probably the next most influential one concerning AAS in football. Although Romanowski wasn't indicted in the BALCO scandal, he later wrote a book in which he admits that Victor Conte introduced him to several performance enhancing compounds, most notably anabolic steroids (15). Although he was a very good linebacker before he used AAS, people often attribute his tackling ability to them. He is however, probably best remembered for his negative antics. He spit in J.J. Stokes? face, broke somebody's finger at the bottom of a pile up, kicked a downed player in the head several times in one incident, broke a quarterback's jaw with an illegal helmet to helmet hit, fought former boxer Charles Haley in training camp, often speared wide receivers illegally, broke another players? ocular cavity, and was always involved in various shoving matches and on-field altercations. Unfortunately, like Lyle, all of this has been attributed to his use of AAS. Of course, football players use steroids, and of course this occurs at the high-school, collegiate, and professional levels. It's a fact of the game that a very skilled smaller player will usually get beaten by a very skilled, but considerably larger player. And once again, as long as there is prestige and money to be earned from playing football, steroids will be present. STEROIDS IN THE OLYMPICS As expressed earlier Olympians throughout history have been using performance enhancers, but probably the two most famous for having been discredited due to AAS use are World Class sprinters Ben Johnson of Canada, and more recently Marion Jones of the USA. Ben Johnson was considered the fastest man in the world. After breaking the world sprinting record in the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, he tested positive for the anabolic steroid Winstrol(Stanozolol). For anyone who has never heard his coach tell the story, Charlie Francis has provided ample evidence for the unreliability of the testing (3). Briefly he states that the accepted drug clearance time for Winstrol (at that time) was +/- three days for the oral form and +/- 14 days for the injectable. Ben had used the compound 28 days prior to the race, yet the parent compound was still found. This is especially odd, since the parent compound only lasts for 45 minutes after administration. The testers, therefore, must be making the claim that Ben ingested it just prior to the actual race. Both he and his coach, Mr. Francis, denied this. In fact, it was later discovered that someone as lean as Johnson may have even been clear (the drug would have left his body) in less than 3 days! Some oral steroids at that time (Oxandrolone, better known as Anavar) couldn't even be found on tests at that time. So even the test results remain very suspicious, Ben Johnson was suspended, and stripped of his Olympic Gold medal. On Friday, October 5, 2007 the Washington Post reported, "Track star Marion Jones has acknowledged using steroids as she prepared for the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney and is scheduled to plead guilty today in New York to two counts of lying to federal agents about her drug use and an unrelated financial matter, according to a letter Jones sent to close family and friends. Jones, who won five medals at the Sydney Olympics, said she took the steroid known as "the clear" for two years beginning in 1999, according to the letter. A source familiar with Jones's legal situation who requested anonymity confirmed the relevant facts that were described in the letter." Marion has since very publically apologized, "I want to apologize to you all for all of this. I am sorry for disappointing you all in so many ways." She was released in September 2008 from a Texas federal prison after completing most of her six-month sentence for lying about doping, and for her role in a check-fraud scam. The New York Times first reported that Marion has been working on her basketball skills and conditioning in San Antonio since October ‘08. Jones told the newspaper she received a call in May from someone in the NBA asking if she might play in the WNBA. "I thought it would be an interesting journey if I decided to do this," Jones said. "It would give me an opportunity to share my message to young people on a bigger platform; it would give me an opportunity to get a second chance." She played college basketball at North Carolina, where she was the starting point guard on the Tar Heels' National Championship Team in 1994. She told the Times that she hopes to play in Europe this winter and in the WNBA next season. I for one believe she deserves that second chance and I'll wish her well, though I hardly think the woman once considered the best female athlete on the planet will need it. So where does that leave us? Well, the world of sports has certainly embraced the use of AAS, or at least the athletes have. The use of steroids in sports is definitely visible, but no one can properly estimate how widespread a problem it is, though this often precisely what the media claims to do. Statistically speaking it's a very elusive topic, and as cited above, even insider sources often present very conflicting data. One thing however, remains true regardless of the statistics, congressional hearings, or admissions of guilt. Although some athletes still compete for the love of the game, prestige often accompanies success. And today, just as two millennia ago, athletes are often given the opportunity to compete for the whole ball of wax (prestige, success & money). This is why they first sought out performance enhancers in the ancient Greece, and this is why athletes are using steroids in sports today…and of course tomorrow! A drug is a substance which may have medicinal, intoxicating, performance enhancing or other effects when taken or put into a human body or the body of another animal and is not considered a food or exclusively a food. What is considered a drug rather than a food varies between cultures, and distinctions between drugs and foods and between kinds of drug are enshrined in laws which vary between jurisdictions and aim to restrict or prevent drug use. Even within a jurisdiction, however, the status of a substance may be uncertain or contested with respect to both whether it is a drug and how it should be classified if at all. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.[3] In pharmacology, a drug is "a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being."[3] Drugs may be prescribed for a limited duration, or on a regular basis for chronic disorders.[4] Recreational drugs are chemical substances that affect the central nervous system, such as opioids or hallucinogens.[4] They may be used for perceived beneficial effects on perception, consciousness, personality, and behavior.[4][5] Some drugs can cause addiction and/or habituation.[5] Drugs are usually distinguished from endogenous biochemicals by being introduced from outside the organism.[citation needed] For example, insulin is a hormone that is synthesized in the body; it is called a hormone when it is synthesized by the pancreas inside the body, but if it is introduced into the body from outside, it is called a drug.[citation needed] Many natural substances, such as beers, wines, and psychoactive mushrooms, blur the line between food and recreational drugs, as when ingested they affect the functioning of both mind and body and some substances normally considered drugs such as DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) are actually produced by the human body in trace amounts. Contents [hide] 1 Etymology 2 Medication 3 Spiritual and religious use 4 Self-improvement 5 Recreational drug use 6 Administering drugs 7 See also 8 References 9 External links Etymology Drug is thought to originate from Old French "drogue", possibly deriving later into "droge-vate" from Middle Dutch meaning "dry barrels", referring to medicinal plants preserved in them.[6] Medication Nexium pills 40 mg (esomeprazole magnesium) Main article: pharmaceutical drug A medication or medicine is a drug taken to cure and/or ameliorate any symptoms of an illness or medical condition, or may be used as preventive medicine that has future benefits but does not treat any existing or pre-existing diseases or symptoms. Dispensing of medication is often regulated by governments into three categories—over-the-counter (OTC) medications, which are available in pharmacies and supermarkets without special restrictions, behind-the-counter (BTC), which are dispensed by a pharmacist without needing a doctor's prescription, and prescription only medicines (POM), which must be prescribed by a licensed medical professional, usually a physician.[citation needed] In the United Kingdom, BTC medicines are called pharmacy medicines which can only be sold in registered pharmacies, by or under the supervision of a pharmacist. These medications are designated by the letter P on the label.[7] The range of medicines available without a prescription varies from country to country. Medications are typically produced by pharmaceutical companies and are often patented to give the developer exclusive rights to produce them. Those that are not patented (or with expired patents) are called generic drugs since they can be produced by other companies without restrictions or licenses from the patent holder. Spiritual and religious use Main article: Entheogen The spiritual and religious use of drugs has been occurring since the dawn of our species. Drugs that are considered to have spiritual or religious use are called entheogens. Some religions are based completely on the use of certain drugs. Entheogens are mostly hallucinogens, being either psychedelics or deliriants, but some are also stimulants and sedatives. Self-improvement Main article: Nootropic Nootropics, also commonly referred to as "smart drugs", are drugs that are claimed to improve human cognitive abilities. Nootropics are used to improve memory, concentration, thought, mood, learning, and many other things. Some nootropics are now beginning to be used to treat certain diseases such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease. They are also commonly used to regain brain function lost during aging. Similarly, drugs such as steroids improve human physical capabilities and are sometimes used (legally or not) for this purpose, often by professional athletes. Recreational drug use The cigarette is the common pharmaceutical form of tobacco – one of the world’s best selling drugs.[8] Cannabis is another commonly used recreational drug.[9] Ayahuasca Main article: Recreational drug use Further information: Prohibition of drugs Recreational drugs use is the use of psychoactive substances to have fun, for the experience, or to enhance an already positive experience. National laws prohibit the use of many different recreational drugs and medicinal drugs that have the potential for recreational use are heavily regulated. Many other recreational drugs on the other hand are legal, widely culturally accepted, and at the most have an age restriction on using and/or purchasing them. These include alcohol, tobacco, betel nut, and caffeine products in the west, and in other localised areas of the world drugs such as Khat are common. Because of the legal status of many drugs, recreational drug use is controversial, with many governments not recognising spiritual or other perceived uses for drugs and classing them under illegal recreational use. Administering drugs Drugs, both medicinal and recreational, can be administered in a number of ways. Many drugs can be administered in a variety of ways rather than just one. Bolus Inhaled, (breathed into the lungs), as an aerosol or dry powder. (This includes smoking a substance) Injected as a solution, suspension or emulsion either: intramuscular, intravenous, intraperitoneal, intraosseous. Insufflation, or snorted into the nose. Orally, as a liquid or solid, that is absorbed through the intestines. Rectally as a suppository, that is absorbed by the rectum or colon. Sublingually, diffusing into the blood through tissues under the tongue. Topically, usually as a cream or ointment. A drug administered in this manner may be given to act locally or systemically.[10] Vaginally as a suppository, primarily to treat vaginal infections. See also Pharmacy and Pharmacology portal Drug development Drug injection Inverse benefit law Lifestyle drug List of drugs List of pharmaceutical companies List of psychedelic plants Placebo Prodrug United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime References ^ Deutscher Kaffeeverband (2001-05-04). "Kaffee-Text 1/99" (in German) (PDF). Archived from the original on 2008-02-29. Retrieved 2007-12-14. ^ In Germany about 118 l of beer, 20 l of wine, 4 l of sparkling wine and 6 l of distilled beverages are consumed per person per year.[citation needed] ^ a b "Drug." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1), Random House, Inc., via dictionary.com. Retrieved on 20 September 2007. ^ a b c "Drug." The American Heritage Science Dictionary, Houghton Mifflin Company, via dictionary.com. Retrieved on 20 September 2007. ^ a b "Drug." Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Inc., via dictionary.com. Retrieved on 20 September 2007. ^ Harper, Douglas. "drug". Online Etymology Dictionary. ^ "Glossary of MHRA terms - P". MHRA. Retrieved 2008-11-05. ^ According to the statistic of the Food and Agriculture Organization the production quantity in 2006 of coffee was 7.8 million tonnes and of tobacco was 6.7 million tonnes. ^ Lingeman, Drugs from A-Z A Dictionary, Penguin ISBN 0-7139-0136-5 ^ "?". External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Drugs Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Drug DrugBank, a database of 4800 drugs and 2500 protein drug targets A steroid is a type of organic compound that contains a characteristic arrangement of four cycloalkane rings that are joined to each other. Examples of steroids include the dietary fat cholesterol, the sex hormones estradiol and testosterone, and the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone. The core of steroids is composed of twenty carbon atoms bonded together that take the form of four fused rings: three cyclohexane rings (designated as rings A, B, and C in the figure to the right) and one cyclopentane ring (the D ring). The steroids vary by the functional groups attached to this four-ring core and by the oxidation state of the rings. Sterols are special forms of steroids, with a hydroxyl group at position-3 and a skeleton derived from cholestane.[1] Hundreds of distinct steroids are found in plants, animals, and fungi. All steroids are made in cells either from the sterols lanosterol (animals and fungi) or from cycloartenol (plants). Both lanosterol and cycloartenol are derived from the cyclization of the triterpene squalene.[2] Contents [hide] 1 Structure 2 Classification 2.1 Taxonomical/functional 2.2 Structural 3 Biosynthesis 3.1 Mevalonate pathway 3.1.1 Pharmacology 3.2 DMAPP to lanosterol 3.3 Steroidogenesis 3.4 Regulation 3.5 Alternative pathways 4 Metabolism 5 See also 6 References 7 External links [edit]Structure Steroids are a class of organic compounds with a chemical structure that contains the core of gonane or a skeleton derived therefrom. Usually, methyl groups are present at the carbons C-10 and C-13 – an alkyl side-chain at carbon C-17 may also be present. The basic skeleton of a steroid, with standard stereo orientation. R is a side-chain at C-17. Cholesterol. This steroid is the precursor to other steroids in the steroidogenesis. Gonane is the simplest possible steroid and is composed of seventeen carbon atoms, bonded together to form four fused rings. The three cyclohexane rings (designated as rings A, B, and C in the figure below) form the skeleton of phenanthrene; ring D has a cyclopentane structure. Hence, together they are called cyclopentaphenanthrene.[3] Numbering of rings and of carbon atoms in gonane, the simplest possible steroid. The structure of cholestane, one of the comparatively simpler steroids. The more complex structure of cholic acid, a bile acid. Commonly, steroids have a methyl group at the carbons C-10 and C-13 and an alkyl side chain at carbon C-17. Further, they vary by the configuration of the side chain, the number of additional methyl groups, and the functional groups attached to the rings. For example, sterols have a hydroxyl group attached at position C-3. Some exemplary steroids with their structures: The anabolic steroid testosterone, the principal male sex hormone. Progesterone, a steroid hormone involved in the female menstrual cycle, pregnancy and embryogenesis. Medrogestone, a synthetic drug with similar effects as progesterone. An example of functional groups is the hydroxyl group at C-3 common to sterols. β-Sitosterol, a phytosterol showing the hydroxyl group at C-3. [edit]Classification [edit]Taxonomical/functional Some of the common categories of steroids: Animal Insect Ecdysteroids such as ecdysterone that controls moulting Vertebrate Steroid hormones Sex steroids are a subset of sex hormones that produce sex differences or support reproduction. They include androgens, estrogens, and progestagens. Corticosteroids include glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids. Glucocorticoids regulate many aspects of metabolism and immune function, whereas mineralocorticoids help maintain blood volume and control renal excretion of electrolytes. Most medical 'steroid' drugs are corticosteroids. Anabolic steroids are a class of steroids that interact with androgen receptors to increase muscle and bone synthesis. There are natural and synthetic anabolic steroids. In popular language, the word "steroids" usually refers to anabolic steroids. Cholesterol, which modulates the fluidity of cell membranes and is the principal constituent of the plaques implicated in atherosclerosis. Plant Phytosterols Brassinosteroids (includes several plant hormones) Fungus Ergosterols [edit]Structural It is also possible to classify steroids based upon their chemical composition. One example of how MeSH performs this classification is available at the Wikipedia MeSH catalog. Examples from this classification include: Class Examples Number of carbon atoms Cholestanes cholesterol 27 Cholanes cholic acid 24 Pregnanes progesterone 21 Androstanes testosterone 19 Estranes estradiol 18 Gonane (or steroid nucleus) is the parent (17-carbon tetracyclic) hydrocarbon molecule without any alkyl sidechains.[4] [edit]Biosynthesis Steroid biosynthesis is an anabolic metabolic pathway that produces steroids from simple precursors. A unique biosynthetic pathway is followed in animals compared to many other organisms, making the pathway a common target for antibiotics and other anti-infective drugs. In addition, steroid metabolism in humans is the target of cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins. Simplified version of latter part of steroid synthesis pathway, where the intermediates isopentenyl pyrophosphate (PP or IPP) and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) form geranyl pyrophosphate (GPP), squalene and, finally, lanosterol, the first steroid in the pathways. Some intermediates are omitted for clarity. In humans and other animals, the biosynthesis of steroids follows the mevalonate pathway that uses acetyl-CoA as building-blocks to form dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) and isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP).[5] In subsequent steps, DMAPP and IPP are joined to form geranyl pyrophosphate (GPP), which in turn is used to synthesize the steroid lanosterol. Further modifications of lanosterol into other steroids are classified steroidogenesis transformations. [edit]Mevalonate pathway Main article: Mevalonate pathway The mevalonate pathway or HMG-CoA reductase pathway starts with and ends with dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) and isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP). Mevalonate pathway [edit]Pharmacology A number of drugs target the mevalonate pathway: Statins (used for elevated cholesterol levels) Bisphosphonates (used in treatment of various bone-degenerative diseases) [edit]DMAPP to lanosterol Isopentenyl pyrophosphate and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate donate isoprene units, which are assembled and modified to form terpenes and isoprenoids,[6] which are a large class of lipids that include the carotenoids, and form the largest class of plant natural products.[7] Here, the isoprene units are joined together to make squalene and then folded up and formed into a set of rings to make lanosterol.[8] Lanosterol can then be converted into other steroids such as cholesterol and ergosterol.[8][9] [edit]Steroidogenesis "Steroidogenesis" redirects here. Steroidogenesis is the biological process by which steroids are generated from cholesterol and transformed into other steroids.[10] The pathways of steroidogenesis differ between different species – as an example the pathways of human steroidogenesis are shown in this figure below: The human steroidogenesis, with the major classes of steroid hormones, individual steroids and enzymatic pathways. Note that changes in molecular structure compared to the respective precursor are highlighted with white circles. The major classes of steroid hormones and some prominent members of the human steroidogenesis are: Progestogens: Progesterone Corticosteroids (Corticoids): Aldosterone (Mineralocorticoids) Cortisol (Glucocorticoids) Androgens: Testosterone Estrogens: Estrogen Locations of human steroidogenesis: Progestogens serve as precursors to all other human steroids – thus all human tissues which produce steroids must first convert cholesterol to pregnenolone. This conversion is the rate-limiting step of steroid synthesis, which occurs inside the mitochondrion of the respective tissue.[11] Corticosteroids are produced in the adrenal cortex. Estrogen and progesterone are made primarily in the ovary and in the placenta during pregnancy, and testosterone in the testes. Testosterone is also converted into estrogen to regulate the supply of each, in the bodies of both females and males. In addition, certain neurons and glia in the central nervous system (CNS) express the enzymes that are required for the local synthesis of pregnane neurosteroids, either de novo or from peripherally-derived sources. [edit]Regulation Several key enzymes can be activated through DNA transcriptional regulation on activation of SREBP (Sterol Regulatory Element-Binding Protein-1 and -2). This intracellular sensor detects low cholesterol levels and stimulates endogenous production by the HMG-CoA reductase pathway, as well as increasing lipoprotein uptake by up-regulating the LDL receptor. Regulation of this pathway is also achieved by controlling the rate of translation of the mRNA, degradation of reductase and phosphorylation. [edit]Alternative pathways In plants and bacteria, the non-mevalonate pathway uses pyruvate and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate as substrates.[6][12] [edit]Metabolism Steroids are oxidized mainly by cytochrome P450 oxidase enzymes, such as CYP3A4. These reactions introduce oxygen into the steroid ring and allows the structure to be broken up by other enzymes, to form bile acids as final products.[13] These bile acids can then be eliminated through secretion from the liver in the bile.[14] The expression of this oxidase gene can be upregulated by the steroid sensor PXR when there is a high blood concentration of steroids.[15] [edit]See also pharmacology portal Batrachotoxin List of steroid abbreviations Steroid hormone Corticosteroid Sex steroid Steroid sulfatase Steroid hydroxylases Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein [edit]References ^ a b G. P. Moss (1989). "Nomenclature of Steroids (Recommendations 1989)". Pure & Appl. Chem. 61 (10): 1783–1822. doi:10.1351/pac198961101783. PDF "IUPAC-IUB Joint Commission on Biochemical Nomenclature (JCBN). The nomenclature of steroids. Recommendations 1989". Eur. J. Biochem. 186 (3): 429–58. December 1989. doi:10.1111/j.1432-1033.1989.tb15228.x. PMID 2606099. ^ "Lanosterol biosynthesis". Recommendations on Biochemical & Organic Nomenclature, Symbols & Terminology. International Union Of Biochemistry And Molecular Biology. ^ PubChem 130801; 219-08-9 cyclopentaphenanthrene ^ Edgren RA, Stanczyk FZ (December 1999). "Nomenclature of the gonane progestins". Contraception 60 (6): 313. doi:10.1016/S0010-7824(99)00101-8. PMID 10715364. ^ Grochowski L, Xu H, White R (2006). "Methanocaldococcus jannaschii uses a modified mevalonate pathway for biosynthesis of isopentenyl diphosphate". J Bacteriol 188 (9): 3192–8. doi:10.1128/JB.188.9.3192-3198.2006. PMC 1447442. PMID 16621811. ^ a b Kuzuyama T, Seto H (2003). "Diversity of the biosynthesis of the isoprene units". Nat Prod Rep 20 (2): 171–83. doi:10.1039/b109860h. PMID 12735695. ^ Dubey V, Bhalla R, Luthra R (2003). "An overview of the non-mevalonate pathway for terpenoid biosynthesis in plants". J Biosci 28 (5): 637–46. doi:10.1007/BF02703339. PMID 14517367. ^ a b Schroepfer G (1981). "Sterol biosynthesis". Annu Rev Biochem 50: 585–621. doi:10.1146/annurev.bi.50.070181.003101. PMID 7023367. ^ Lees N, Skaggs B, Kirsch D, Bard M (1995). "Cloning of the late genes in the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway of Saccharomyces cerevisiae—a review". Lipids 30 (3): 221–6. doi:10.1007/BF02537824. PMID 7791529. ^ Hanukoglu I (Dec 1992). "Steroidogenic enzymes: structure, function, and role in regulation of steroid hormone biosynthesis.". J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 43 (8): 779–804. doi:10.1016/0960-0760(92)90307-5. PMID 22217824. ^ Rossier MF (2006). "T channels and steroid biosynthesis: in search of a link with mitochondria". Cell Calcium. 40 (2): 155–64. doi:10.1016/j.ceca.2006.04.020. PMID 16759697. ^ Lichtenthaler H (1999). "The 1-Dideoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis in plants". Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 50: 47–65. doi:10.1146/annurev.arplant.50.1.47. PMID 15012203. ^ Pikuleva IA (2006). "Cytochrome P450s and cholesterol homeostasis". Pharmacol. Ther. 112 (3): 761–73. doi:10.1016/j.pharmthera.2006.05.014. PMID 16872679. ^ Zollner G, Marschall HU, Wagner M, Trauner M (2006). "Role of nuclear receptors in the adaptive response to bile acids and cholestasis: pathogenetic and therapeutic considerations". Mol. Pharm. 3 (3): 231–51. doi:10.1021/mp060010s. PMID 16749856. ^ Kliewer S, Goodwin B, Willson T (2002). "The nuclear pregnane X receptor: a key regulator of xenobiotic metabolism". Endocr. Rev. 23 (5): 687–702. doi:10.1210/er.2001-0038. PMID 12372848. Anabolic steroids, technically known as anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS), are drugs that have similar effects to testosterone in the body. They increase protein within cells, especially in muscles. Anabolic steroids also have androgenic and virilizing properties, including the development and maintenance of masculine characteristics such as the growth of the vocal cords, testicles (primary sexual characteristics), and body hair (secondary sexual characteristics). The word anabolic comes from the Greek ἀναβολή anabole, "that which is thrown up, mound", and the word androgenic from the Greek ἀνδρός andros, "of a man" + -γενής -genes, "born". Anabolic steroids were first made in the 1930s, and are now used therapeutically in medicine to stimulate bone growth and appetite, induce male puberty, and treat chronic wasting conditions, such as cancer and AIDS. The American College of Sports Medicine acknowledges that AAS, in the presence of adequate diet, can contribute to increases in body weight, often as lean mass increases, and that the gains in muscular strength achieved through high-intensity exercise and proper diet can be additionally increased by the use of AAS in some individuals.[1] Health risks can be produced by long-term use or excessive doses of anabolic steroids.[2][3] These effects include harmful changes in cholesterol levels (increased low-density lipoprotein and decreased high-density lipoprotein), acne, high blood pressure, liver damage (mainly with oral steroids), dangerous changes in the structure of the left ventricle of the heart.[4] Conditions pertaining to hormonal imbalances such as gynecomastia and testicular atrophy may also be caused by anabolic steroids. Ergogenic uses for anabolic steroids in sports, racing, and bodybuilding are controversial because of their adverse effects and the potential to gain unfair advantage is considered cheating. Their use is referred to as doping and banned by all major sporting bodies. For many years, AAS have been by far the most detected doping substances in IOC-accredited laboratories.[5][6] In countries where AAS are controlled substances, there is often a black market in which smuggled, clandestinely manufactured, or even counterfeit drugs are sold to users. Contents [hide] 1 History 1.1 Isolation of gonadal AAS 1.2 Development of synthetic AAS 2 Pharmacology 2.1 Routes of administrations 2.2 Mechanism of action 2.3 Anabolic and androgenic effects 2.3.1 Body composition and strength improvements 3 Adverse effects 3.1 Psychiatric effects 3.2 Aggression and hypomania 3.3 Depression and suicide 3.4 Addiction potential 4 Medical and ergogenic uses 4.1 Medical uses 4.2 Ergogenic use and abuse 5 Legal and sport restrictions 5.1 Legal status 5.1.1 United States 5.1.2 United Kingdom 5.2 Status in sports 5.3 Detection of use 6 Illegal trade 7 See also 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External links [edit]History [edit]Isolation of gonadal AAS Chemical structure of the natural anabolic hormone testosterone, 17β-hydroxy-4-androsten-3-one The use of gonadal steroids pre-dates their identification and isolation. Medical use of testicle extract began in the late 19th century while its effects on strength were still being studied.[7] The isolation of gonadal steroids can be traced back to 1931, when Adolf Butenandt, a chemist in Marburg, purified 15 milligrams of the male hormone androstenone from tens of thousands of litres of urine. This steroid was subsequently synthesized in 1934 by Leopold Ruzicka, a chemist in Zurich.[8] In the 1930s, it was already known that the testes contain a more powerful androgen than androstenone, and three groups of scientists, funded by competing pharmaceutical companies in the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland, raced to isolate it.[8][9] This hormone was first identified by Karoly Gyula David, E. Dingemanse, J. Freud and Ernst Laqueur in a May 1935 paper "On Crystalline Male Hormone from Testicles (Testosterone)."[10] They named the hormone testosterone, from the stems of testicle and sterol, and the suffix of ketone. The chemical synthesis of testosterone was achieved in August that year, when Butenandt and G. Hanisch published a paper describing "A Method for Preparing Testosterone from Cholesterol."[11] Only a week later, the third group, Ruzicka and A. Wettstein, announced a patent application in a paper "On the Artificial Preparation of the Testicular Hormone Testosterone (Androsten-3-one-17-ol)."[12] Ruzicka and Butenandt were offered the 1939 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work, but the Nazi government forced Butenandt to decline the honor, although he accepted the prize after the end of World War II.[8][9] Clinical trials on humans, involving either oral doses of methyltestosterone or injections of testosterone propionate, began as early as 1937.[8] Testosterone propionate is mentioned in a letter to the editor of Strength and Health magazine in 1938; this is the earliest known reference to an anabolic steroid in a U.S. weightlifting or bodybuilding magazine.[8] There are often reported rumors that German soldiers were administered anabolic steroids during the Second World War, the aim being to increase their aggression and stamina, but these are, as yet, unproven.[13] Adolf Hitler himself, according to his physician, was injected with testosterone derivatives to treat various ailments.[14] AAS were used in experiments conducted by the Nazis on concentration camp inmates,[14] and later by the allies attempting to treat the malnourished victims that survived Nazi camps.[13] President John F. Kennedy was administered steroids both before and during his presidency.[15] [edit]Development of synthetic AAS Chemical structure of the synthetic steroid Methandrostenolone (Dianabol). 17α-Methylation (upper-right corner) enhances oral bioavailability. The development of muscle-building properties of testosterone was pursued in the 1940s, in the Soviet Union and in Eastern Bloc countries such as East Germany, where steroid programs were used to enhance the performance of Olympic and other amateur weight lifters. In response to the success of Russian weightlifters, the U.S. Olympic Team physician Dr. John Ziegler worked with synthetic chemists to develop an anabolic steroid with reduced androgenic effects.[16] Ziegler's work resulted in the production of methandrostenolone, which Ciba Pharmaceuticals marketed as Dianabol. The new steroid was approved for use in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1958. It was most commonly administered to burn victims and the elderly. The drug's off-label users were mostly bodybuilders and weight lifters. Although Ziegler prescribed only small doses to athletes, he soon discovered that those having abused Dianabol suffered from enlarged prostates and atrophied testes.[17] AAS were placed on the list of banned substances of the IOC in 1976, and a decade later the committee introduced 'out-of-competition' doping tests because many athletes used AAS in their training period rather than during competition.[5] Three major ideas governed modifications of testosterone into a multitude of AAS: Alkylation at 17-alpha position with methyl or ethyl group created orally active compounds because it slows the degradation of the drug by the liver; esterification of testosterone and nortestosterone at the 17-beta position allows the substance to be administered parenterally and increases the duration of effectiveness because agents soluble in oily liquids may be present in the body for several months; and alterations of the ring structure were applied for both oral and parenteral agents to seeking to obtain different anabolic to androgenic effect ratios.[18] [edit]Pharmacology [edit]Routes of administrations A vial of injectable testosterone cypionate There are four common forms in which anabolic steroids are administered: oral pills, injectable steroids, creams/gels for topical application, and skin patches. Oral administration is the most convenient. Testosterone administered by mouth is rapidly absorbed, but it is largely converted to inactive metabolites, and only about 1/6 is available in active form. In order to be sufficiently active when given by mouth, testosterone derivatives are alkylated at the 17 position, e.g. methyltestosterone and fluoxymesterone. This modification reduces the liver's ability to break down these compounds before they reach the systemic circulation. Testosterone can be administered parenterally, but it has more irregular prolonged absorption time and greater activity in propionate, enanthate, undecanoate, or cypionate ester form. These derivatives are hydrolyzed to release free testosterone at the site of injection; absorption rate (and thus injection schedule) varies among different esters, but medical injections are normally done anywhere between semi-weekly to once every 12 weeks. A more frequent schedule may be desirable in order to maintain a more constant level of hormone in the system.[19] Injectable steroids are typically administered into the muscle, not into the vein, to avoid sudden changes in the amount of the drug in the bloodstream. In addition, because estered testosterone is dissolved in oil, intravenous injection has the potential to cause a dangerous embolism (clot) in the bloodstream. Transdermal patches (adhesive patches placed on the skin) may also be used to deliver a steady dose through the skin and into the bloodstream. Testosterone-containing creams and gels that are applied daily to the skin are also available, but absorption is inefficient (roughly 10%, varying between individuals) and these treatments tend to be more expensive. Individuals who are especially physically active and/or bathe often may not be good candidates, since the medication can be washed off and may take up to six hours to be fully absorbed. There is also the risk that an intimate partner or child may come in contact with the application site and inadvertently dose himself or herself; children and women are highly sensitive to testosterone and can suffer unintended masculinization and health effects, even from small doses. Injection is the most common method used by individuals administering anabolic steroids for non-medical purposes.[20] The traditional routes of administration do not have differential effects on the efficacy of the drug. Studies indicate that the anabolic properties of anabolic steroids are relatively similar despite the differences in pharmacokinetic principles such as first-pass metabolism. However, the orally available forms of AAS may cause liver damage in high doses.[6][21] [edit]Mechanism of action See also: Steroid hormone The human androgen receptor bound to testosterone[22] The protein is shown as a ribbon diagram in red, green, and blue, with the steroid shown in white. The pharmacodynamics of anabolic steroids are unlike peptide hormones. Water-soluble peptide hormones cannot penetrate the fatty cell membrane and only indirectly affect the nucleus of target cells through their interaction with the cell’s surface receptors. However, as fat-soluble hormones, anabolic steroids are membrane-permeable and influence the nucleus of cells by direct action. The pharmacodynamic action of anabolic steroids begin when the exogenous hormone penetrates the membrane of the target cell and binds to an androgen receptor located in the cytoplasm of that cell. From there, the compound hormone-receptor diffuses into the nucleus, where it either alters the expression of genes[23] or activates processes that send signals to other parts of the cell.[24] Different types of anabolic steroids bind to the androgen receptor with different affinities, depending on their chemical structure.[5] Some anabolic steroids such as methandrostenolone bind weakly to this receptor in vitro, but still exhibit androgenic effects in vivo. The reason for this discrepancy is not known.[25] The effect of anabolic steroids on muscle mass is caused in at least two ways:[26] first, they increase the production of proteins; second, they reduce recovery time by blocking the effects of stress hormone cortisol on muscle tissue, so that catabolism of muscle is greatly reduced. It has been hypothesized that this reduction in muscle breakdown may occur through anabolic steroids inhibiting the action of other steroid hormones called glucocorticoids that promote the breakdown of muscles.[27] Anabolic steroids also affect the number of cells that develop into fat-storage cells, by favouring cellular differentiation into muscle cells instead.[28] Anabolic steroids can also decrease fat by increasing basal metabolic rate (BMR), since an increase in muscle mass increases BMR. [edit]Anabolic and androgenic effects Relative androgenic:anabolic activity in animals[19] Preparation Ratio Testosterone 1:1 Methyltestosterone 1:1 Fluoxymesterone 1:2 Oxymetholone 1:3 Oxandrolone 1:3–1:13 Nandrolone decanoate 1:2.5–1:4 As the name suggests, anabolic-androgenic steroids have two different, but overlapping, types of effects: anabolic, meaning that they promote anabolism (cell growth), and androgenic (or virilising), meaning that they affect the development and maintenance of masculine characteristics. Some examples of the anabolic effects of these hormones are increased protein synthesis from amino acids, increased appetite, increased bone remodeling and growth, and stimulation of bone marrow, which increases the production of red blood cells. Through a number of mechanisms anabolic steroids stimulate the formation of muscle cells and hence cause an increase in the size of skeletal muscles, leading to increased strength.[29][30][31] The androgenic effects of AAS are numerous. Depending on the length of use, the side effects of the steroid can be irreversible. Processes affected include pubertal growth, sebaceous gland oil production, and sexuality (especially in fetal development). Some examples of virilizing effects are growth of the clitoris in females and the penis in male children (the adult penis does not grow, and will eventually get smaller even when exposed to high doses of androgens), increased growth of androgen-sensitive hair (pubic, beard, chest, and limb hair), increased vocal cord size, deepening the voice, increased libido, suppression of natural sex hormones, and impaired production of sperm.[32] The androgenic:anabolic ratio of an AAS is an important factor when determining the clinical application of these compounds. Compounds with a high ratio of androgenic to an anabolic effects are the drug of choice in androgen-replacement therapy (e.g., treating hypogonadism in males), whereas compounds with a reduced androgenic:anabolic ratio are preferred for anemia and osteoporosis, and to reverse protein loss following trauma, surgery, or prolonged immobilization. Determination of androgenic:anabolic ratio is typically performed in animal studies, which has led to the marketing of some compounds claimed to have anabolic activity with weak androgenic effects. This disassociation is less marked in humans, where all anabolic steroids have significant androgenic effects.[19] A commonly used protocol for determining the androgenic:anabolic ratio, dating back to the 1950s, uses the relative weights of ventral prostate (VP) and levator ani muscle (LA) of male rats. The VP weight is an indicator of the androgenic effect, while the LA weight is an indicator of the anabolic effect. Two or more batches of rats are castrated and given no treatment and respectively some AAS of interest. The LA/VP ratio for an AAS is calculated as the ratio of LA/VP weight gains produced by the treatment with that compound using castrated but untreated rats as baseline: (LAc,t–LAc)/(VPc,t–VPc). The LA/VP weight gain ratio from rat experiments is not unitary for testosterone (typically 0.3–0.4), but it is normalized for presentation purposes, and used as basis of comparison for other AAS, which have their androgenic:anabolic ratios scaled accordingly (as shown in the table above).[25][33] In the early 2000s, this procedure was standardized and generalized throughout OECD in what is now known as the Hershberger assay. [edit]Body composition and strength improvements A review spanning more than three decades of experimental studies in men found that body weight may increase by 2–5 kg as a result of short-term (
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PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT HISTORY The story of steroid use in sports began just before the World Weightlifting Championships of 1954. The Soviets had made their Olympic debut in Helsinki in 1952]][[Category:and were only caught when word of them somehow leaked out. The Russians and Americans were also very successful at hiding usage. In the background professional bodybuildingmarched onward with competitors taking ever-increasing amounts of AAS and other drugs]][[Category:at least half the guys are using steroids. They talk about it. They joke about it with each other. The guys who want to protect themselves or their image by lying have that right. Me? I'm at the point in my career where I've done just about every bad thing you can do. I try to walk with my head up. I don't have to hold my tongue…" (p.36) - Ken Caminiti]][[Category:June 2002 Major League Baseball (MLB) was the last professional sports organization in the United States to implement a comprehensive drug testing policy. This all started when an over-the-counter nutritional supplement bottle was seen in Mark McGwire's locker. The bottle in question contained the prohormone Androstendione]][[Category:his story was followed by hundreds of mainstream media publications. The most famous AAS story in the in sports is that of Jason Giambi and Barry Bonds. Both of those players were suspected of using anabolic steroids when the BALCO scandal was exposed. Giambi told a U.S. grand jury that he used a duo of undetectable steroids known respectively as "the cream" and "the clear]][[Category:said the leak of the testimony was simply engineered to discredit Mr. Bonds. It is also important to note that none of these substances were banned by MLB at that time. So did all this media attention hurt baseball? The answer is a resounding "no". Baseball attendance was in a slump before McGwire was en route to his home-run record]][[Category:about AAS in Major League baseball. Do major league players use steroids? Of course they do! Can we say that steroids are the reason for the inflated home-run statistics of recent years? Of course not. With multi-million dollar contracts on the line every season]][[Category:but AAS use in baseball is unlikely to decline considerably as a result of this...there's just too much at stake! STEROIDS IN FOOTBALL The steroid policy in the National Football League (NFL) began in 1987. But to understand the use of steroids in football]][[Category:makes a strong case. Using this starting point we can better assess AAS use in professional football. So what does the landscape of professional football look like anyway? This storyline is very similar to that of the high school and collegiate ranks. For example]][[Category:and there was absolutely no reason for Alzado to believe his condition could have been attributed to his steroid use. He could just as easily have made the exact same evidence-free claim about his Gatorade drinking. The story of Bill Romanowski is probably the next most influential one concerning AAS in football. Although Romanowski wasn't indicted in the BALCO scandal]][[Category:Charlie Francis has provided ample evidence for the unreliability of the testing (3). Briefly he states that the accepted drug clearance time for Winstrol (at that time) was +/- three days for the oral form and +/- 14 days for the injectable. Ben had used the compound 28 days prior to the race]][[Category:and for her role in a check-fraud scam. The New York Times first reported that Marion has been working on her basketball skills and conditioning in San Antonio since October ‘08. Jones told the newspaper she received a call in May from someone in the NBA asking if she might play in the WNBA. "I thought it would be an interesting journey if I decided to do this]][[Category:where she was the starting point guard on the Tar Heels' National Championship Team in 1994. She told the Times that she hopes to play in Europe this winter and in the WNBA next season. I for one believe she deserves that second chance and I'll wish her well]][[Category:and colloquial usage.[3] In pharmacology]][[Category:or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being."[3] Drugs may be prescribed for a limited duration]][[Category:or on a regular basis for chronic disorders.[4] Recreational drugs are chemical substances that affect the central nervous system]] [[Category:such as opioids or hallucinogens.[4] They may be used for perceived beneficial effects on perception]][[Category:and behavior.[4][5] Some drugs can cause addiction and/or habituation.[5] Drugs are usually distinguished from endogenous biochemicals by being introduced from outside the organism.[citation needed] For example]][[Category:it is called a drug.[citation needed] Many natural substances]][[Category:as when ingested they affect the functioning of both mind and body and some substances normally considered drugs such as DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) are actually produced by the human body in trace amounts. Contents [hide] 1 Etymology 2 Medication 3 Spiritual and religious use 4 Self-improvement 5 Recreational drug use 6 Administering drugs 7 See also 8 References 9 External links Etymology Drug is thought to originate from Old French "drogue"]][[Category:referring to medicinal plants preserved in them.[6] Medication Nexium pills 40 mg (esomeprazole magnesium) Main article: pharmaceutical drug A medication or medicine is a drug taken to cure and/or ameliorate any symptoms of an illness or medical condition]][[Category:usually a physician.[citation needed] In the United Kingdom]][[Category:by or under the supervision of a pharmacist. These medications are designated by the letter P on the label.[7] The range of medicines available without a prescription varies from country to country. Medications are typically produced by pharmaceutical companies and are often patented to give the developer exclusive rights to produce them. Those that are not patented (or with expired patents) are called generic drugs since they can be produced by other companies without restrictions or licenses from the patent holder. Spiritual and religious use Main article: Entheogen The spiritual and religious use of drugs has been occurring since the dawn of our species. Drugs that are considered to have spiritual or religious use are called entheogens. Some religions are based completely on the use of certain drugs. Entheogens are mostly hallucinogens]][[Category:often by professional athletes. Recreational drug use The cigarette is the common pharmaceutical form of tobacco – one of the world’s best selling drugs.[8] Cannabis is another commonly used recreational drug.[9] Ayahuasca Main article: Recreational drug use Further information: Prohibition of drugs Recreational drugs use is the use of psychoactive substances to have fun]][[Category:or to enhance an already positive experience. National laws prohibit the use of many different recreational drugs and medicinal drugs that have the potential for recreational use are heavily regulated. Many other recreational drugs on the other hand are legal]][[Category:usually as a cream or ointment. A drug administered in this manner may be given to act locally or systemically.[10] Vaginally as a suppository]] [[Category:primarily to treat vaginal infections. See also Pharmacy and Pharmacology portal Drug development Drug injection Inverse benefit law Lifestyle drug List of drugs List of pharmaceutical companies List of psychedelic plants Placebo Prodrug United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime References ^ Deutscher Kaffeeverband (2001-05-04). "Kaffee-Text 1/99" (in German) (PDF). Archived from the original on 2008-02-29. Retrieved 2007-12-14. ^ In Germany about 118 l of beer]][[Category:4 l of sparkling wine and 6 l of distilled beverages are consumed per person per year.[citation needed] ^ a b "Drug." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)]][[Category:Douglas. "drug". Online Etymology Dictionary. ^ "Glossary of MHRA terms - P". MHRA. Retrieved 2008-11-05. ^ According to the statistic of the Food and Agriculture Organization the production quantity in 2006 of coffee was 7.8 million tonnes and of tobacco was 6.7 million tonnes. ^ Lingeman]][[Category:with a hydroxyl group at position-3 and a skeleton derived from cholestane.[1] Hundreds of distinct steroids are found in plants]][[Category:and fungi. All steroids are made in cells either from the sterols lanosterol (animals and fungi) or from cycloartenol (plants). Both lanosterol and cycloartenol are derived from the cyclization of the triterpene squalene.[2] Contents [hide] 1 Structure 2 Classification 2.1 Taxonomical/functional 2.2 Structural 3 Biosynthesis 3.1 Mevalonate pathway 3.1.1 Pharmacology 3.2 DMAPP to lanosterol 3.3 Steroidogenesis 3.4 Regulation 3.5 Alternative pathways 4 Metabolism 5 See also 6 References 7 External links [edit]Structure Steroids are a class of organic compounds with a chemical structure that contains the core of gonane or a skeleton derived therefrom. Usually]][[Category:together they are called cyclopentaphenanthrene.[3] Numbering of rings and of carbon atoms in gonane]][[Category:a phytosterol showing the hydroxyl group at C-3. [edit]Classification [edit]Taxonomical/functional Some of the common categories of steroids: Animal Insect Ecdysteroids such as ecdysterone that controls moulting Vertebrate Steroid hormones Sex steroids are a subset of sex hormones that produce sex differences or support reproduction. They include androgens]][[Category:whereas mineralocorticoids help maintain blood volume and control renal excretion of electrolytes. Most medical 'steroid' drugs are corticosteroids. Anabolic steroids are a class of steroids that interact with androgen receptors to increase muscle and bone synthesis. There are natural and synthetic anabolic steroids. In popular language]][[Category:which modulates the fluidity of cell membranes and is the principal constituent of the plaques implicated in atherosclerosis. Plant Phytosterols Brassinosteroids (includes several plant hormones) Fungus Ergosterols [edit]Structural It is also possible to classify steroids based upon their chemical composition. One example of how MeSH performs this classification is available at the Wikipedia MeSH catalog. Examples from this classification include: Class Examples Number of carbon atoms Cholestanes cholesterol 27 Cholanes cholic acid 24 Pregnanes progesterone 21 Androstanes testosterone 19 Estranes estradiol 18 Gonane (or steroid nucleus) is the parent (17-carbon tetracyclic) hydrocarbon molecule without any alkyl sidechains.[4] [edit]Biosynthesis Steroid biosynthesis is an anabolic metabolic pathway that produces steroids from simple precursors. A unique biosynthetic pathway is followed in animals compared to many other organisms]][[Category:the biosynthesis of steroids follows the mevalonate pathway that uses acetyl-CoA as building-blocks to form dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) and isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP).[5] In subsequent steps]][[Category:which in turn is used to synthesize the steroid lanosterol. Further modifications of lanosterol into other steroids are classified steroidogenesis transformations. [edit]Mevalonate pathway Main article: Mevalonate pathway The mevalonate pathway or HMG-CoA reductase pathway starts with and ends with dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) and isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP). Mevalonate pathway [edit]Pharmacology A number of drugs target the mevalonate pathway: Statins (used for elevated cholesterol levels) Bisphosphonates (used in treatment of various bone-degenerative diseases) [edit]DMAPP to lanosterol Isopentenyl pyrophosphate and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate donate isoprene units]][[Category:[6] which are a large class of lipids that include the carotenoids]] [[Category:and form the largest class of plant natural products.[7] Here]] [[Category:the isoprene units are joined together to make squalene and then folded up and formed into a set of rings to make lanosterol.[8] Lanosterol can then be converted into other steroids such as cholesterol and ergosterol.[8][9] [edit]Steroidogenesis "Steroidogenesis" redirects here. Steroidogenesis is the biological process by which steroids are generated from cholesterol and transformed into other steroids.[10] The pathways of steroidogenesis differ between different species – as an example the pathways of human steroidogenesis are shown in this figure below: The human steroidogenesis]][[Category:individual steroids and enzymatic pathways. Note that changes in molecular structure compared to the respective precursor are highlighted with white circles. The major classes of steroid hormones and some prominent members of the human steroidogenesis are: Progestogens: Progesterone Corticosteroids (Corticoids): Aldosterone (Mineralocorticoids) Cortisol (Glucocorticoids) Androgens: Testosterone Estrogens: Estrogen Locations of human steroidogenesis: Progestogens serve as precursors to all other human steroids – thus all human tissues which produce steroids must first convert cholesterol to pregnenolone. This conversion is the rate-limiting step of steroid synthesis]] [[Category:which occurs inside the mitochondrion of the respective tissue.[11] Corticosteroids are produced in the adrenal cortex. Estrogen and progesterone are made primarily in the ovary and in the placenta during pregnancy]][[Category:either de novo or from peripherally-derived sources. [edit]Regulation Several key enzymes can be activated through DNA transcriptional regulation on activation of SREBP (Sterol Regulatory Element-Binding Protein-1 and -2). This intracellular sensor detects low cholesterol levels and stimulates endogenous production by the HMG-CoA reductase pathway]][[Category:degradation of reductase and phosphorylation. [edit]Alternative pathways In plants and bacteria]] [[Category:the non-mevalonate pathway uses pyruvate and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate as substrates.[6][12] [edit]Metabolism Steroids are oxidized mainly by cytochrome P450 oxidase enzymes]][[Category:to form bile acids as final products.[13] These bile acids can then be eliminated through secretion from the liver in the bile.[14] The expression of this oxidase gene can be upregulated by the steroid sensor PXR when there is a high blood concentration of steroids.[15] [edit]See also pharmacology portal Batrachotoxin List of steroid abbreviations Steroid hormone Corticosteroid Sex steroid Steroid sulfatase Steroid hydroxylases Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein [edit]References ^ a b G. P. Moss (1989). "Nomenclature of Steroids (Recommendations 1989)". Pure & Appl. Chem. 61 (10): 1783–1822. doi:10.1351/pac198961101783. PDF "IUPAC-IUB Joint Commission on Biochemical Nomenclature (JCBN). The nomenclature of steroids. Recommendations 1989". Eur. J. Biochem. 186 (3): 429–58. December 1989. doi:10.1111/j.1432-1033.1989.tb15228.x. PMID 2606099. ^ "Lanosterol biosynthesis". Recommendations on Biochemical & Organic Nomenclature]][[Category:Luthra R (2003). "An overview of the non-mevalonate pathway for terpenoid biosynthesis in plants". J Biosci 28 (5): 637–46. doi:10.1007/BF02703339. PMID 14517367. ^ a b Schroepfer G (1981). "Sterol biosynthesis". Annu Rev Biochem 50: 585–621. doi:10.1146/annurev.bi.50.070181.003101. PMID 7023367. ^ Lees N]][[Category:and role in regulation of steroid hormone biosynthesis.". J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 43 (8): 779–804. doi:10.1016/0960-0760(92)90307-5. PMID 22217824. ^ Rossier MF (2006). "T channels and steroid biosynthesis: in search of a link with mitochondria". Cell Calcium. 40 (2): 155–64. doi:10.1016/j.ceca.2006.04.020. PMID 16759697. ^ Lichtenthaler H (1999). "The 1-Dideoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis in plants". Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 50: 47–65. doi:10.1146/annurev.arplant.50.1.47. PMID 15012203. ^ Pikuleva IA (2006). "Cytochrome P450s and cholesterol homeostasis". Pharmacol. Ther. 112 (3): 761–73. doi:10.1016/j.pharmthera.2006.05.014. PMID 16872679. ^ Zollner G]][[Category:and that the gains in muscular strength achieved through high-intensity exercise and proper diet can be additionally increased by the use of AAS in some individuals.[1] Health risks can be produced by long-term use or excessive doses of anabolic steroids.[2][3] These effects include harmful changes in cholesterol levels (increased low-density lipoprotein and decreased high-density lipoprotein)]][[Category:dangerous changes in the structure of the left ventricle of the heart.[4] Conditions pertaining to hormonal imbalances such as gynecomastia and testicular atrophy may also be caused by anabolic steroids. Ergogenic uses for anabolic steroids in sports]][[Category:AAS have been by far the most detected doping substances in IOC-accredited laboratories.[5][6] In countries where AAS are controlled substances]][[Category:or even counterfeit drugs are sold to users. Contents [hide] 1 History 1.1 Isolation of gonadal AAS 1.2 Development of synthetic AAS 2 Pharmacology 2.1 Routes of administrations 2.2 Mechanism of action 2.3 Anabolic and androgenic effects 2.3.1 Body composition and strength improvements 3 Adverse effects 3.1 Psychiatric effects 3.2 Aggression and hypomania 3.3 Depression and suicide 3.4 Addiction potential 4 Medical and ergogenic uses 4.1 Medical uses 4.2 Ergogenic use and abuse 5 Legal and sport restrictions 5.1 Legal status 5.1.1 United States 5.1.2 United Kingdom 5.2 Status in sports 5.3 Detection of use 6 Illegal trade 7 See also 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External links [edit]History [edit]Isolation of gonadal AAS Chemical structure of the natural anabolic hormone testosterone]] [[Category:17β-hydroxy-4-androsten-3-one The use of gonadal steroids pre-dates their identification and isolation. Medical use of testicle extract began in the late 19th century while its effects on strength were still being studied.[7] The isolation of gonadal steroids can be traced back to 1931]][[Category:a chemist in Zurich.[8] In the 1930s]][[Category:raced to isolate it.[8][9] This hormone was first identified by Karoly Gyula David]][[Category:J. Freud and Ernst Laqueur in a May 1935 paper "On Crystalline Male Hormone from Testicles (Testosterone)."[10] They named the hormone testosterone]][[Category:when Butenandt and G. Hanisch published a paper describing "A Method for Preparing Testosterone from Cholesterol."[11] Only a week later]][[Category:announced a patent application in a paper "On the Artificial Preparation of the Testicular Hormone Testosterone (Androsten-3-one-17-ol)."[12] Ruzicka and Butenandt were offered the 1939 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work]][[Category:although he accepted the prize after the end of World War II.[8][9] Clinical trials on humans]][[Category:began as early as 1937.[8] Testosterone propionate is mentioned in a letter to the editor of Strength and Health magazine in 1938; this is the earliest known reference to an anabolic steroid in a U.S. weightlifting or bodybuilding magazine.[8] There are often reported rumors that German soldiers were administered anabolic steroids during the Second World War]][[Category:unproven.[13] Adolf Hitler himself]][[Category:was injected with testosterone derivatives to treat various ailments.[14] AAS were used in experiments conducted by the Nazis on concentration camp inmates]] [[Category:[14] and later by the allies attempting to treat the malnourished victims that survived Nazi camps.[13] President John F. Kennedy was administered steroids both before and during his presidency.[15] [edit]Development of synthetic AAS Chemical structure of the synthetic steroid Methandrostenolone (Dianabol). 17α-Methylation (upper-right corner) enhances oral bioavailability. The development of muscle-building properties of testosterone was pursued in the 1940s]][[Category:the U.S. Olympic Team physician Dr. John Ziegler worked with synthetic chemists to develop an anabolic steroid with reduced androgenic effects.[16] Ziegler's work resulted in the production of methandrostenolone]] [[Category:which Ciba Pharmaceuticals marketed as Dianabol. The new steroid was approved for use in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1958. It was most commonly administered to burn victims and the elderly. The drug's off-label users were mostly bodybuilders and weight lifters. Although Ziegler prescribed only small doses to athletes]] [[Category:he soon discovered that those having abused Dianabol suffered from enlarged prostates and atrophied testes.[17] AAS were placed on the list of banned substances of the IOC in 1976]] [[Category:and a decade later the committee introduced 'out-of-competition' doping tests because many athletes used AAS in their training period rather than during competition.[5] Three major ideas governed modifications of testosterone into a multitude of AAS: Alkylation at 17-alpha position with methyl or ethyl group created orally active compounds because it slows the degradation of the drug by the liver; esterification of testosterone and nortestosterone at the 17-beta position allows the substance to be administered parenterally and increases the duration of effectiveness because agents soluble in oily liquids may be present in the body for several months; and alterations of the ring structure were applied for both oral and parenteral agents to seeking to obtain different anabolic to androgenic effect ratios.[18] [edit]Pharmacology [edit]Routes of administrations A vial of injectable testosterone cypionate There are four common forms in which anabolic steroids are administered: oral pills]][[Category:but medical injections are normally done anywhere between semi-weekly to once every 12 weeks. A more frequent schedule may be desirable in order to maintain a more constant level of hormone in the system.[19] Injectable steroids are typically administered into the muscle]][[Category:intravenous injection has the potential to cause a dangerous embolism (clot) in the bloodstream. Transdermal patches (adhesive patches placed on the skin) may also be used to deliver a steady dose through the skin and into the bloodstream. Testosterone-containing creams and gels that are applied daily to the skin are also available]][[Category:since the medication can be washed off and may take up to six hours to be fully absorbed. There is also the risk that an intimate partner or child may come in contact with the application site and inadvertently dose himself or herself; children and women are highly sensitive to testosterone and can suffer unintended masculinization and health effects]] [[Category:even from small doses. Injection is the most common method used by individuals administering anabolic steroids for non-medical purposes.[20] The traditional routes of administration do not have differential effects on the efficacy of the drug. Studies indicate that the anabolic properties of anabolic steroids are relatively similar despite the differences in pharmacokinetic principles such as first-pass metabolism. However]] [[Category:the orally available forms of AAS may cause liver damage in high doses.[6][21] [edit]Mechanism of action See also: Steroid hormone The human androgen receptor bound to testosterone[22] The protein is shown as a ribbon diagram in red]][[Category:with the steroid shown in white. The pharmacodynamics of anabolic steroids are unlike peptide hormones. Water-soluble peptide hormones cannot penetrate the fatty cell membrane and only indirectly affect the nucleus of target cells through their interaction with the cell’s surface receptors. However]][[Category:anabolic steroids are membrane-permeable and influence the nucleus of cells by direct action. The pharmacodynamic action of anabolic steroids begin when the exogenous hormone penetrates the membrane of the target cell and binds to an androgen receptor located in the cytoplasm of that cell. From there]][[Category:where it either alters the expression of genes[23] or activates processes that send signals to other parts of the cell.[24] Different types of anabolic steroids bind to the androgen receptor with different affinities]] [[Category:depending on their chemical structure.[5] Some anabolic steroids such as methandrostenolone bind weakly to this receptor in vitro]] [[Category:but still exhibit androgenic effects in vivo. The reason for this discrepancy is not known.[25] The effect of anabolic steroids on muscle mass is caused in at least two ways:[26] first]][[Category:so that catabolism of muscle is greatly reduced. It has been hypothesized that this reduction in muscle breakdown may occur through anabolic steroids inhibiting the action of other steroid hormones called glucocorticoids that promote the breakdown of muscles.[27] Anabolic steroids also affect the number of cells that develop into fat-storage cells]] [[Category:by favouring cellular differentiation into muscle cells instead.[28] Anabolic steroids can also decrease fat by increasing basal metabolic rate (BMR)]] [[Category:since an increase in muscle mass increases BMR. [edit]Anabolic and androgenic effects Relative androgenic:anabolic activity in animals[19] Preparation Ratio Testosterone 1:1 Methyltestosterone 1:1 Fluoxymesterone 1:2 Oxymetholone 1:3 Oxandrolone 1:3–1:13 Nandrolone decanoate 1:2.5–1:4 As the name suggests]][[Category:leading to increased strength.[29][30][31] The androgenic effects of AAS are numerous. Depending on the length of use]][[Category:and impaired production of sperm.[32] The androgenic:anabolic ratio of an AAS is an important factor when determining the clinical application of these compounds. Compounds with a high ratio of androgenic to an anabolic effects are the drug of choice in androgen-replacement therapy (e.g.]][[Category:where all anabolic steroids have significant androgenic effects.[19] A commonly used protocol for determining the androgenic:anabolic ratio]][[Category:while the LA weight is an indicator of the anabolic effect. Two or more batches of rats are castrated and given no treatment and respectively some AAS of interest. The LA/VP ratio for an AAS is calculated as the ratio of LA/VP weight gains produced by the treatment with that compound using castrated but untreated rats as baseline: (LAc]][[Category:which have their androgenic:anabolic ratios scaled accordingly (as shown in the table above).[25][33] In the early 2000s]] [[Category:this procedure was standardized and generalized throughout OECD in what is now known as the Hershberger assay. [edit]Body composition and strength improvements A review spanning more than three decades of experimental studies in men found that body weight may increase by 2–5 kg as a result of short-term (
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- 770.00 Add To Cart Rivotril (Clonazepam) 2mg by Roche x 500 Strips (Shipping Included) $1
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- 000.00 Add To Cart STEROIDS FOR SPORTS ENHANCEMENT For as long as athletic competition has existed men have experimented with food products
- herbs
- medications and just about everything they could think of that might provide a performance enhancing edge. Finally
- after much trial and error they eventually hit upon a synthetic version of the male sex hormone testosterone
- the pituitary gland produced chemical messengers at the core of what makes men manly. Although the popular media is wrong about anabolic androgenic steroids(AAS) being primarily used by athletes
- as illustrated by historic and contemporary headlines
- these drugs were and are still very much a part of the wide world of sports. From football to track & field
- baseball to cycling and apparently everywhere in between performance enhancement via AAS usage seems here to stay. This section will expand on these topics by providing historical background
- contemporary factual information
- and an individual look at some of the sports that have more prominently featured AAS in recent history. The following is a small informational component of a larger educational website designed to raise awareness. More specifically
- it is NOT intended to encourage readers to use AAS for performance enhancement or recreational use
- and made quite an impact
- but nothing compared to the show they put on in ‘54. That year they easily dominated most of the weight classes. As the story goes
- John Ziegler (team physician for the United States) questioned the Soviet team's doctor who openly stated (as it wasn't against the rules) that his team had been receiving testosterone injections. According to some unconfirmed sources
- testosterone preparations were also used by Germany's Olympic team in 1936 during the Berlin Olympics. At that time
- there were rumors that an Olympic medal winner had previously used oral testosterone preparations
- but benefits from such administration (due to the technology at the time regarding oral testosterone) would have been minor. In the case of the Soviets however
- rumors of discarded syringes in their dressing rooms made it clear that they were not using oral steroids
- they were using something very different. And everyone wanted to know what it was. That wasn't the first time anabolic performance enhancement had been attempted. As far back as the original Olympic Games in ancient Greece
- athletes ingested various herbs and foods with the hopes of improving their performance. Attempts to increase testosterone were documented as early as 776 BC by Olympic athletes who ingested sheep testicles
- which they knew to be a source of Testosterone production (3). The big winner in the 480 B.C. Olympic Games said he ate nothing but meat for 10 months prior to the games. Few people back then knew that meat is especially high in B-vitamins and Creatine
- both of which can enhance performance. Although eating a meat only diet for ten straight months
- and ingesting sheep testicles might seem extreme to us now
- it was a small price to pay for the prize money offered back then. Some records state that up to 1
- 200 days pay was the reward for winning a single event. Back then there were no participation medals
- and they didn't compete for the love of the game
- to give it their best shot
- or even for pride. They competed for large amounts of both money and prestige (1)
- which is why they sought out performance enhancers. That story may sound familiar
- like perhaps one you?ve heard on TV or in magazines concerning modern-day AAS use in sports. Today's athletes
- especially professional ones
- have very lucrative contracts and sponsorship deals. Since steroids are known to enhance performance
- reduce and repair injuries
- and lengthen careers
- using them seems like a no-brainer. So it should be no surprise to most people that when Dr. Ziegler returned to the US
- he immediately began researching testosterone and trying to develop something better for his athletes. What he developed
- with the help of the Ciba pharmaceutical company was the AAS called Methandrostenolone
- more widely known as Dianabol. This late1956 development marked the invention of the first anabolic steroid that wasn't simply testosterone. By the time the early 1960s rolled around
- Ziegler's weightlifters were dominating the American weightlifting circuit. Since then
- many different steroids
- each with their own distinct set of characteristics have been developed. By the late 1960's the East Germans had also entered the fray
- and were giving steroids to all athletes as part of a state sponsored program to bolster national pride. In 1968
- Dr. Manfred Hoeppner
- East Germany's Chief Medical Officer
- wrote and submitted a report to the government in which he recommended the total collective administration of steroids to the entire East German Olympic team (2). In the couple of decades that followed this report
- the East Germans? presence was felt at every major world-wide sporting event. From the Olympics to World Championships
- they took home both medals and new world records. Of course
- there have been other documented instances of a thletes taking various drugs and other substances in an attempt to enhance their performance. Thomas Hicks
- an American marathoner who won the gold medal in the 1904 Olympics
- had to be revived after he drank Brandy lased with cocaine and strychnine. A couple of decades later American sprinters attempted to use nitroglycerine to dilate (expand) their coronary arteries
- they later switched to experimenting with the amphetamine Benzidrine. Many such compounds have been used
- but none are as powerful (provided such rapid increases in strength) as AAS. For this reason
- Dianabol was quickly made available to anyone looking for that extra edge. It helped manybodybuilders
- weightlifters
- football players
- and Olympic athletes train harder
- longer and more efficiently and is still the most popular form of AAS today. As all steroids can do
- it enhances protein synthesis allowing new muscle to be built at a rate that far exceeds normalcy. Athletes soon realized that the increased muscle power and strength from AAS translated into large financial rewards
- and the sports industry has never looked back. If you were an athlete looking to take your career farther
- Dianabol was going to be an indispensible part of your dietary intake. At this point
- the "steroidarms-race" was in full swing. Athletes all over the world wanted to know where to get them and how to use them
- and countries were scrambling to develop the latest forms. Then
- oddly
- in 1968 there was an official complaint about steroids made by the World Health Organization (WHO). This complaint wasn't placed by sports authorities
- or even professional league officials
- it came straight from the WHO
- and is significant because it laid the foundation for future controls. Steroids were being over produced by the major pharmaceutical firms
- and were subsequently shipped to certain third world countries
- where doctors would receive a kickback for prescribing large amounts of them. Kenya and Jamaica were the main countries where this was happening
- and they (predictably) did very well for themselves at the Olympics that year. Suddenly
- a ban on AAS was issued by the International Olympic Council (IOC)
- and in the coming decades most professional sports organizations would follow suit. The original ban on anabolic steroids was allegedly enacted for ethical and moral concerns
- not safety (as is often thought). Shortly after the first ban on performance enhancers came the first athlete caught breaking that ban. In 1972
- an American swimmer named Rick De Mont was found to be using a newly banned substance called ephedrine. At that time
- ephedrine was an approved medication for asthma
- and Mr. De Mont was an asthmatic with a prescription for it. Two years prior
- Arnold Schwarzeneggerwon his first of seven Mr. Olympia titles
- reportedly with the aid of Dr. Ziegler's little blue Dianabol pills. AAS use in the Olympics went on
- for the next couple of decades
- in a game of Cat & Mouse game between the athletes and the IOC. For the most part
- the athletes were very successful in avoiding positive drug tests. The East Germans developed several novel compounds that masked detection
- pushing the limits and serving as guinea pigs for upper range testing. In 1987 the National Football League introduced its anti-steroid policy
- but Major League Baseball was without such restrictions. By the 1990?s
- steroids were fully assimilated into society and their use had penetrated every possible sport from the professional ranks down to the high school level. There were the occasional scandals here and there
- but nothing really captured the general public's attention for very long. STEROIDS IN BASEBALL It's no secret what's going on in baseball
- Sports Illustrated
- a compound which can convert into testosterone once inside the body. Unfortunately
- McGwire was en route to breaking a decades' long standing home-run record that season
- a fact which punctuated the bottle's discovery. McGwire retired shortly after breaking that record
- but the story of steroids in baseball went ahead at full speed. Just a few short years later
- Ken Caminiti revealed to Sports Illustrated that he used anabolic steroids
- and further estimated that roughly fifty percent of the players in the league were using them as well. This admission opened the floodgates for the media to begin their full scale assault on MLB. Jose Canseco
- in a book published during the height of the steroids in baseball media coverage
- estimated that 85% of all players in MLB used steroids
- and also admitted using them. That's two All-Star big leaguers with two very conflicting percentages. Not only was Caminiti?s story the earliest major media admission of steroid use
- but it was also one of the most influential. This chart illustrates the media attention given to AAS in baseball for the weeks preceding and following the Sports Illustrated piece on Caminiti. Week fourteen is when the piece was published. As you can see
- " both of which he received from personal trainer Greg Anderson during the 2003 season. Bonds
- on the other hand claimed that his trainer told him the substances were the nutritional supplement flaxseed oil and a pain-relieving balm for his arthritis. There were also claims that a transcript of Bonds? entire testimony was leaked to the press
- and that according to a transcript of Bonds? Dec. 4
- 2003 testimony he admitted to using the following substances: the cream; the clear; human growth hormone; Depot-Testosterone; insulin and; a drug for female infertility that can be used to mask steroid use. Bonds? attorney
- Michael Rains
- but they've been climbing ever since. Are all the additional home runs a result of steroid use? Well
- it's easy to say we need to put asterisks on every record set during the "steroid era" of baseball
- but that would give too much credit to steroids alone. Of course training methods and nutrition are part of the puzzle
- but the other piece is probably not as obvious. In the mid-?90s starting in the American League
- and in the late ?90s starting in the National League
- home runs started to become more and more common. Although AAS are often blamed
- there could be another culprit. The construction of more "homer-friendly" ballparks also has something to do with it. Coors Field
- a recent addition to the MLB stable of fields has become the most prolific run-scoring park in the history of MLB. Enron Field was also built (reincarnated into the more media friendly "Minute Maid Park")
- actually has a very homer friendly left field line that was (and still may be) a violation of MLB rules. The Milwaukee Brewers
- the Pittsburgh Pirates and Texas Rangers have also built friendlier fields in recent years
- as have the Arizona Diamondbacks. For their part
- the Cardinals
- Orioles
- and White Sox have pulled in the distance from home-plate to their outfield fences as well. Need I also add that the strike zone has become much more beneficial to hitters since the era of Roger Maris? Still
- the questions remain
- the only fact that we can be sure of is that steroids are being used in baseball
- and they will continue to be used for as long as players can get away with it. Congress recently chimed in and pressured MLB into instituting a comprehensive testing policy for their athletes
- first we need to take a look at the emerging trends in the high school and collegiate ranks. So what's being learned in high school these days? Well
- if we examine the heights and weights of members of the annual Parade Magazine's High School All-American Football Teams from 1963-1971
- we see no significant changes in the Body Mass Index of these elite high-school athletes. Now
- if we take another look and examine those same players? heights and weights but this time we compare 1972-1989
- we see a clear trend towards an increase in Body Mass Index (11). These are interesting results
- to say the least. If we further consider an elite collegiate program such as Michigan State University
- we see this trend again. In 1975
- the Spartans' average player weighed 213lbs
- and by 2005 that weight had jumped to 236lbs (12). With regards to football
- it would seem that current educational efforts are not working well. High school level AAS education was studied on six different campuses. Two football teams received a lecture on steroids and a four-page handout
- two of them were given just the handout
- and two teams were controls (didn't receive any education on steroids). Also
- at this level
- the incidence of self-report of current steroid use was 1.1%. After the athletes received their educational interventions which focused on the possible adverse effects from AAS use
- no significant difference in their attitudes toward the use of AAS occurred as compared to the control groups (13). So at least from the results of this study
- we can conclude that education in its current form isn't changing the attitudes of elite level football players in high-school. That plus the fact that their getting progressively bigger
- today's NFL linemen are weighing (on average) well over 300lbs
- when roughly 25 years ago they weighed a substantial 50lbs less (13). The most famous story of steroid use in the NFL is that of Lyle Alzado. In 1992 (seven years) after having a successful career in the NFL
- Alzado at age 43 died from a very rare form of brain cancer called brain lymphoma. In the years preceding his death
- Lyle became an often used symbol of the dangers of steroid abuse. Unfortunately
- there is absolutely no medical link between AAS and brain lymphoma (a fact agreed upon by Lyle's primary physician)
- he later wrote a book in which he admits that Victor Conte introduced him to several performance enhancing compounds
- most notably anabolic steroids (15). Although he was a very good linebacker before he used AAS
- people often attribute his tackling ability to them. He is however
- probably best remembered for his negative antics. He spit in J.J. Stokes? face
- broke somebody's finger at the bottom of a pile up
- kicked a downed player in the head several times in one incident
- broke a quarterback's jaw with an illegal helmet to helmet hit
- fought former boxer Charles Haley in training camp
- often speared wide receivers illegally
- broke another players? ocular cavity
- and was always involved in various shoving matches and on-field altercations. Unfortunately
- like Lyle
- all of this has been attributed to his use of AAS. Of course
- football players use steroids
- and of course this occurs at the high-school
- collegiate
- and professional levels. It's a fact of the game that a very skilled smaller player will usually get beaten by a very skilled
- but considerably larger player. And once again
- as long as there is prestige and money to be earned from playing football
- steroids will be present. STEROIDS IN THE OLYMPICS As expressed earlier Olympians throughout history have been using performance enhancers
- but probably the two most famous for having been discredited due to AAS use are World Class sprinters Ben Johnson of Canada
- and more recently Marion Jones of the USA. Ben Johnson was considered the fastest man in the world. After breaking the world sprinting record in the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games
- he tested positive for the anabolic steroid Winstrol(Stanozolol). For anyone who has never heard his coach tell the story
- yet the parent compound was still found. This is especially odd
- since the parent compound only lasts for 45 minutes after administration. The testers
- therefore
- must be making the claim that Ben ingested it just prior to the actual race. Both he and his coach
- Mr. Francis
- denied this. In fact
- it was later discovered that someone as lean as Johnson may have even been clear (the drug would have left his body) in less than 3 days! Some oral steroids at that time (Oxandrolone
- better known as Anavar) couldn't even be found on tests at that time. So even the test results remain very suspicious
- Ben Johnson was suspended
- and stripped of his Olympic Gold medal. On Friday
- October 5
- 2007 the Washington Post reported
- "Track star Marion Jones has acknowledged using steroids as she prepared for the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney and is scheduled to plead guilty today in New York to two counts of lying to federal agents about her drug use and an unrelated financial matter
- according to a letter Jones sent to close family and friends. Jones
- who won five medals at the Sydney Olympics
- said she took the steroid known as "the clear" for two years beginning in 1999
- according to the letter. A source familiar with Jones's legal situation who requested anonymity confirmed the relevant facts that were described in the letter." Marion has since very publically apologized
- "I want to apologize to you all for all of this. I am sorry for disappointing you all in so many ways." She was released in September 2008 from a Texas federal prison after completing most of her six-month sentence for lying about doping
- " Jones said. "It would give me an opportunity to share my message to young people on a bigger platform; it would give me an opportunity to get a second chance." She played college basketball at North Carolina
- though I hardly think the woman once considered the best female athlete on the planet will need it. So where does that leave us? Well
- the world of sports has certainly embraced the use of AAS
- or at least the athletes have. The use of steroids in sports is definitely visible
- but no one can properly estimate how widespread a problem it is
- though this often precisely what the media claims to do. Statistically speaking it's a very elusive topic
- and as cited above
- even insider sources often present very conflicting data. One thing however
- remains true regardless of the statistics
- congressional hearings
- or admissions of guilt. Although some athletes still compete for the love of the game
- prestige often accompanies success. And today
- just as two millennia ago
- athletes are often given the opportunity to compete for the whole ball of wax (prestige
- success & money). This is why they first sought out performance enhancers in the ancient Greece
- and this is why athletes are using steroids in sports today…and of course tomorrow! A drug is a substance which may have medicinal
- intoxicating
- performance enhancing or other effects when taken or put into a human body or the body of another animal and is not considered a food or exclusively a food. What is considered a drug rather than a food varies between cultures
- and distinctions between drugs and foods and between kinds of drug are enshrined in laws which vary between jurisdictions and aim to restrict or prevent drug use. Even within a jurisdiction
- however
- the status of a substance may be uncertain or contested with respect to both whether it is a drug and how it should be classified if at all. There is no single
- precise definition
- as there are different meanings in drug control law
- government regulations
- medicine
- a drug is "a chemical substance used in the treatment
- cure
- prevention
- consciousness
- personality
- insulin is a hormone that is synthesized in the body; it is called a hormone when it is synthesized by the pancreas inside the body
- but if it is introduced into the body from outside
- such as beers
- wines
- and psychoactive mushrooms
- blur the line between food and recreational drugs
- possibly deriving later into "droge-vate" from Middle Dutch meaning "dry barrels"
- or may be used as preventive medicine that has future benefits but does not treat any existing or pre-existing diseases or symptoms. Dispensing of medication is often regulated by governments into three categories—over-the-counter (OTC) medications
- which are available in pharmacies and supermarkets without special restrictions
- behind-the-counter (BTC)
- which are dispensed by a pharmacist without needing a doctor's prescription
- and prescription only medicines (POM)
- which must be prescribed by a licensed medical professional
- BTC medicines are called pharmacy medicines which can only be sold in registered pharmacies
- being either psychedelics or deliriants
- but some are also stimulants and sedatives. Self-improvement Main article: Nootropic Nootropics
- also commonly referred to as "smart drugs"
- are drugs that are claimed to improve human cognitive abilities. Nootropics are used to improve memory
- concentration
- thought
- mood
- learning
- and many other things. Some nootropics are now beginning to be used to treat certain diseases such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
- Parkinson's disease
- and Alzheimer's disease. They are also commonly used to regain brain function lost during aging. Similarly
- drugs such as steroids improve human physical capabilities and are sometimes used (legally or not) for this purpose
- for the experience
- widely culturally accepted
- and at the most have an age restriction on using and/or purchasing them. These include alcohol
- tobacco
- betel nut
- and caffeine products in the west
- and in other localised areas of the world drugs such as Khat are common. Because of the legal status of many drugs
- recreational drug use is controversial
- with many governments not recognising spiritual or other perceived uses for drugs and classing them under illegal recreational use. Administering drugs Drugs
- both medicinal and recreational
- can be administered in a number of ways. Many drugs can be administered in a variety of ways rather than just one. Bolus Inhaled
- (breathed into the lungs)
- as an aerosol or dry powder. (This includes smoking a substance) Injected as a solution
- suspension or emulsion either: intramuscular
- intravenous
- intraperitoneal
- intraosseous. Insufflation
- or snorted into the nose. Orally
- as a liquid or solid
- that is absorbed through the intestines. Rectally as a suppository
- that is absorbed by the rectum or colon. Sublingually
- diffusing into the blood through tissues under the tongue. Topically
- 20 l of wine
- Random House
- Inc.
- via dictionary.com. Retrieved on 20 September 2007. ^ a b c "Drug." The American Heritage Science Dictionary
- Houghton Mifflin Company
- via dictionary.com. Retrieved on 20 September 2007. ^ a b "Drug." Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary
- Merriam-Webster
- via dictionary.com. Retrieved on 20 September 2007. ^ Harper
- Drugs from A-Z A Dictionary
- Penguin ISBN 0-7139-0136-5 ^ "?". External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Drugs Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Drug DrugBank
- a database of 4800 drugs and 2500 protein drug targets A steroid is a type of organic compound that contains a characteristic arrangement of four cycloalkane rings that are joined to each other. Examples of steroids include the dietary fat cholesterol
- the sex hormones estradiol and testosterone
- and the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone. The core of steroids is composed of twenty carbon atoms bonded together that take the form of four fused rings: three cyclohexane rings (designated as rings A
- B
- and C in the figure to the right) and one cyclopentane ring (the D ring). The steroids vary by the functional groups attached to this four-ring core and by the oxidation state of the rings. Sterols are special forms of steroids
- animals
- methyl groups are present at the carbons C-10 and C-13 – an alkyl side-chain at carbon C-17 may also be present. The basic skeleton of a steroid
- with standard stereo orientation. R is a side-chain at C-17. Cholesterol. This steroid is the precursor to other steroids in the steroidogenesis. Gonane is the simplest possible steroid and is composed of seventeen carbon atoms
- bonded together to form four fused rings. The three cyclohexane rings (designated as rings A
- and C in the figure below) form the skeleton of phenanthrene; ring D has a cyclopentane structure. Hence
- the simplest possible steroid. The structure of cholestane
- one of the comparatively simpler steroids. The more complex structure of cholic acid
- a bile acid. Commonly
- steroids have a methyl group at the carbons C-10 and C-13 and an alkyl side chain at carbon C-17. Further
- they vary by the configuration of the side chain
- the number of additional methyl groups
- and the functional groups attached to the rings. For example
- sterols have a hydroxyl group attached at position C-3. Some exemplary steroids with their structures: The anabolic steroid testosterone
- the principal male sex hormone. Progesterone
- a steroid hormone involved in the female menstrual cycle
- pregnancy and embryogenesis. Medrogestone
- a synthetic drug with similar effects as progesterone. An example of functional groups is the hydroxyl group at C-3 common to sterols. β-Sitosterol
- estrogens
- and progestagens. Corticosteroids include glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids. Glucocorticoids regulate many aspects of metabolism and immune function
- the word "steroids" usually refers to anabolic steroids. Cholesterol
- making the pathway a common target for antibiotics and other anti-infective drugs. In addition
- steroid metabolism in humans is the target of cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins. Simplified version of latter part of steroid synthesis pathway
- where the intermediates isopentenyl pyrophosphate (PP or IPP) and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) form geranyl pyrophosphate (GPP)
- squalene and
- finally
- lanosterol
- the first steroid in the pathways. Some intermediates are omitted for clarity. In humans and other animals
- DMAPP and IPP are joined to form geranyl pyrophosphate (GPP)
- which are assembled and modified to form terpenes and isoprenoids
- with the major classes of steroid hormones
- and testosterone in the testes. Testosterone is also converted into estrogen to regulate the supply of each
- in the bodies of both females and males. In addition
- certain neurons and glia in the central nervous system (CNS) express the enzymes that are required for the local synthesis of pregnane neurosteroids
- as well as increasing lipoprotein uptake by up-regulating the LDL receptor. Regulation of this pathway is also achieved by controlling the rate of translation of the mRNA
- such as CYP3A4. These reactions introduce oxygen into the steroid ring and allows the structure to be broken up by other enzymes
- Symbols & Terminology. International Union Of Biochemistry And Molecular Biology. ^ PubChem 130801; 219-08-9 cyclopentaphenanthrene ^ Edgren RA
- Stanczyk FZ (December 1999). "Nomenclature of the gonane progestins". Contraception 60 (6): 313. doi:10.1016/S0010-7824(99)00101-8. PMID 10715364. ^ Grochowski L
- Xu H
- White R (2006). "Methanocaldococcus jannaschii uses a modified mevalonate pathway for biosynthesis of isopentenyl diphosphate". J Bacteriol 188 (9): 3192–8. doi:10.1128/JB.188.9.3192-3198.2006. PMC 1447442. PMID 16621811. ^ a b Kuzuyama T
- Seto H (2003). "Diversity of the biosynthesis of the isoprene units". Nat Prod Rep 20 (2): 171–83. doi:10.1039/b109860h. PMID 12735695. ^ Dubey V
- Bhalla R
- Skaggs B
- Kirsch D
- Bard M (1995). "Cloning of the late genes in the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway of Saccharomyces cerevisiae—a review". Lipids 30 (3): 221–6. doi:10.1007/BF02537824. PMID 7791529. ^ Hanukoglu I (Dec 1992). "Steroidogenic enzymes: structure
- function
- Marschall HU
- Wagner M
- Trauner M (2006). "Role of nuclear receptors in the adaptive response to bile acids and cholestasis: pathogenetic and therapeutic considerations". Mol. Pharm. 3 (3): 231–51. doi:10.1021/mp060010s. PMID 16749856. ^ Kliewer S
- Goodwin B
- Willson T (2002). "The nuclear pregnane X receptor: a key regulator of xenobiotic metabolism". Endocr. Rev. 23 (5): 687–702. doi:10.1210/er.2001-0038. PMID 12372848. Anabolic steroids
- technically known as anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS)
- are drugs that have similar effects to testosterone in the body. They increase protein within cells
- especially in muscles. Anabolic steroids also have androgenic and virilizing properties
- including the development and maintenance of masculine characteristics such as the growth of the vocal cords
- testicles (primary sexual characteristics)
- and body hair (secondary sexual characteristics). The word anabolic comes from the Greek ἀναβολή anabole
- "that which is thrown up
- mound"
- and the word androgenic from the Greek ἀνδρός andros
- "of a man" + -γενής -genes
- "born". Anabolic steroids were first made in the 1930s
- and are now used therapeutically in medicine to stimulate bone growth and appetite
- induce male puberty
- and treat chronic wasting conditions
- such as cancer and AIDS. The American College of Sports Medicine acknowledges that AAS
- in the presence of adequate diet
- can contribute to increases in body weight
- often as lean mass increases
- acne
- high blood pressure
- liver damage (mainly with oral steroids)
- racing
- and bodybuilding are controversial because of their adverse effects and the potential to gain unfair advantage is considered cheating. Their use is referred to as doping and banned by all major sporting bodies. For many years
- there is often a black market in which smuggled
- clandestinely manufactured
- when Adolf Butenandt
- a chemist in Marburg
- purified 15 milligrams of the male hormone androstenone from tens of thousands of litres of urine. This steroid was subsequently synthesized in 1934 by Leopold Ruzicka
- it was already known that the testes contain a more powerful androgen than androstenone
- and three groups of scientists
- funded by competing pharmaceutical companies in the Netherlands
- Germany
- and Switzerland
- E. Dingemanse
- from the stems of testicle and sterol
- and the suffix of ketone. The chemical synthesis of testosterone was achieved in August that year
- the third group
- Ruzicka and A. Wettstein
- but the Nazi government forced Butenandt to decline the honor
- involving either oral doses of methyltestosterone or injections of testosterone propionate
- the aim being to increase their aggression and stamina
- but these are
- as yet
- according to his physician
- in the Soviet Union and in Eastern Bloc countries such as East Germany
- where steroid programs were used to enhance the performance of Olympic and other amateur weight lifters. In response to the success of Russian weightlifters
- injectable steroids
- creams/gels for topical application
- and skin patches. Oral administration is the most convenient. Testosterone administered by mouth is rapidly absorbed
- but it is largely converted to inactive metabolites
- and only about 1/6 is available in active form. In order to be sufficiently active when given by mouth
- testosterone derivatives are alkylated at the 17 position
- e.g. methyltestosterone and fluoxymesterone. This modification reduces the liver's ability to break down these compounds before they reach the systemic circulation. Testosterone can be administered parenterally
- but it has more irregular prolonged absorption time and greater activity in propionate
- enanthate
- undecanoate
- or cypionate ester form. These derivatives are hydrolyzed to release free testosterone at the site of injection; absorption rate (and thus injection schedule) varies among different esters
- not into the vein
- to avoid sudden changes in the amount of the drug in the bloodstream. In addition
- because estered testosterone is dissolved in oil
- but absorption is inefficient (roughly 10%
- varying between individuals) and these treatments tend to be more expensive. Individuals who are especially physically active and/or bathe often may not be good candidates
- green
- and blue
- as fat-soluble hormones
- the compound hormone-receptor diffuses into the nucleus
- they increase the production of proteins; second
- they reduce recovery time by blocking the effects of stress hormone cortisol on muscle tissue
- anabolic-androgenic steroids have two different
- but overlapping
- types of effects: anabolic
- meaning that they promote anabolism (cell growth)
- and androgenic (or virilising)
- meaning that they affect the development and maintenance of masculine characteristics. Some examples of the anabolic effects of these hormones are increased protein synthesis from amino acids
- increased appetite
- increased bone remodeling and growth
- and stimulation of bone marrow
- which increases the production of red blood cells. Through a number of mechanisms anabolic steroids stimulate the formation of muscle cells and hence cause an increase in the size of skeletal muscles
- the side effects of the steroid can be irreversible. Processes affected include pubertal growth
- sebaceous gland oil production
- and sexuality (especially in fetal development). Some examples of virilizing effects are growth of the clitoris in females and the penis in male children (the adult penis does not grow
- and will eventually get smaller even when exposed to high doses of androgens)
- increased growth of androgen-sensitive hair (pubic
- beard
- chest
- and limb hair)
- increased vocal cord size
- deepening the voice
- increased libido
- suppression of natural sex hormones
- treating hypogonadism in males)
- whereas compounds with a reduced androgenic:anabolic ratio are preferred for anemia and osteoporosis
- and to reverse protein loss following trauma
- surgery
- or prolonged immobilization. Determination of androgenic:anabolic ratio is typically performed in animal studies
- which has led to the marketing of some compounds claimed to have anabolic activity with weak androgenic effects. This disassociation is less marked in humans
- dating back to the 1950s
- uses the relative weights of ventral prostate (VP) and levator ani muscle (LA) of male rats. The VP weight is an indicator of the androgenic effect
- t–LAc)/(VPc
- t–VPc). The LA/VP weight gain ratio from rat experiments is not unitary for testosterone (typically 0.3–0.4)
- but it is normalized for presentation purposes
- and used as basis of comparison for other AAS