STEROIDS

Name It
Trade names include: Sustanon 250, Deca-Durabolin, Dianabol, Anavar and Stanozonol. May also be referred to by users as 'roids.

Know It
Anabolic steroids can only be sold lawfully by a pharmacist to someone with a doctor's prescription.
While posession isn't illegal without a prescription, supply is against the law and Class C penalties apply.
Anabolic steroids are similar to, and include, the male hormone, testosterone.
They are used in medicine to treat anaemia and muscle weakness after surgery.
Don't confuse them with the kind of steroids used to treat eczema/asthma.
Some body-builders and athletes use anabolic steroids, as well as people who think it'll improve their body image.
Some can be swallowed, but most need to be injected.
Use in sports is prohibitied. A positive test for the drug can ruin a sporting career.

The Effects
Users claim steroids make them feel more agressive and able to train harder.
With excercise, anabolic steroids can help build up muscle. However, there is some debate about whether they improve muscle power and athletic performance.
They help users recover from strenuous excercise.

The Risks
Taking anabolic steroids carries many health risks and can stop young people from growing properly.
The risks for MEN include: erection problems, breast growth, shrinking testicles, reduced sperm and even sterility, acne, increased chance of heart attack and liver failure.

The risks for WOMEN include: growth of facial hair, deepening voice, shrinking breasts, messed-up menstral cycle, spots, possible miscarriage and still-birth.
Some effects, such as change in breast size, may be irreversible without surgery.
Injecting into veins can be dangerous and injecting into muscle can damage nerves and veins. Sharing needles and syringes puts users at risk of dangerous infections like hepatitis and HIV.