What are anabolic steroids?

Anabolic steroids are a man-made synthetic derivative of testosterone (the male sex hormone). Testosterone is responsible for normal growth and development of the male sex organs and for the maintenance of secondary sex characteristics which include growth and maturation of the prostate, seminal vesicles, penis, and scrotum.

These drugs can be legally prescribed to treat conditions resulting from steroid hormone deficiency, such as delayed puberty, but also body wasting in patients with AIDS and other diseases that result in loss of lean muscle mass.