11 Facts About Steroids

Anabolic steroids are powerful man-made versions of testosterone, a male sex hormone.
Steroids are prescribed by doctors to help with anemia or for men who don't produce enough testosterone naturally. However, they are also used illegally by body builders and other athletes looking for an edge over their competition.
It is estimated that 3% to 6% of students in the U.S. have tried steroids. That means that, at a minimum, hundreds of thousands of high school students are using them.
About 5% of teenage girls admitted to using anabolic steroids, mostly for body-enhancing reasons or self-protection, not typically for athletics.
In 2003, seventh-grade girls were the fastest-growing group of steroid users, with more than seven percent using them.
A recent study found that 57% of high school steroid users said they would risk shortening their life for increased performance.
Steroid abuse injures the liver, cardiovascular system and reproductive systems.
Steroids may cause men to develop breasts, have withered testicles, become infertile and lose their hair.
For women, steroids can cause irreversible masculine traits such as reduced breast size, extra body hair and a deeper voice.
Both men and women may also become more aggressive and depressed.
Steroid abuse can interfere with bone growth and stunt height, and can lead to heart attacks and strokes, even in young people.