Negative effects usually occur after regular consumption of anabolic steroids. However, a change in blood count and blood pressure (high blood pressure) can also be observed after a single dose. In addition, cardiac arrhythmia, increased heart rate, heavy sweating and muscle tremors can occur with some preparations.

Anabolic steroids are swallowed as tablets, injected intramuscularly or applied to the skin in the form of gels. Just like the body's own testosterone, for example, anabolic steroids enter the muscle tissue with the blood. There they penetrate the cell membrane and bind to specific steroid receptors. This hormone-receptor complex migrates into the cell nucleus, where it interacts with the genetic material and triggers the production of new body tissue - especially muscle cells. At the same time, anabolic steroids, such as testosterone, inhibit their own production via a specific structure in the brain - the hypothalamus. This self-regulating mechanism ensures that the androgen concentration in the blood does not exceed a certain level. This means that externally supplied synthetic androgens in men reduce the body's own testosterone production in the testicles.

After long-term chronic use, you can become psychologically and physically dependent on steroids and must expect physical withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop using them. The use of anabolic steroids can affect the psyche: severe mood swings, aggressive tendencies, depression and psychotic phases are common.

The human body reacts very sensitively to the intake of anabolic steroids. The long-term effects include hyperthyroidism, skin blemishes, a reduction in head hair, breast enlargement in men, changes to the skeletal and musculoskeletal system, water retention in the tissue, changes to the blood count and high blood pressure. People who use anabolic steroids for a longer period of time have a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. Taking steroids orally can lead to serious damage to the liver, in particular jaundice and tumours.

Steroids are sex hormones and therefore have a strong influence on sexuality and sexual characteristics. The use of anabolic steroids in men can lead to impaired sperm production, so-called atrophy of the testicles (shrunken testicles) and infertility. While men suffering from hypogonadism ("testicular hypofunction") can be treated with anabolic steroids, the use of steroids in men with normal sperm production - due to the feedback loop described in the "Mechanism of action" section - can lead to a reduction and in extreme cases to a cessation of sperm production. In women, anabolic steroids can cause a change in the menstrual cycle, an enlargement of the clitoris, strong body hair and beard growth as well as a deep voice.

• Pregnancy and breastfeeding
• Liver diseases and prostate cancer - anabolic steroids support the growth of tumours

We are not aware of any information on the mixed use of anabolic steroids with other substances.

Steroid injections are less harmful to the liver than oral intake. However, other problems come to the fore when injecting steroids:

• Unhygienic injection techniques and the shared use of injection needles can lead to life-threatening infectious diseases such as HIV, heptatitis or endocarditis (an inflammation of the inner lining of the heart). Bacterial infections that cause severe pain and abscesses are also frequently observed after injections.
• In medicine, steroids are administered intramuscularly. Injections into the veins can cause serious physical consequences.

"Anabolic steroids" is the umbrella term for a range of synthetic substances that are derived from the body's own male sex hormones - the androgens. Anabolic androgenic steroids therefore include the male sex hormone testosterone and a number of other synthetic derivatives that have a body-building (anabolic) and "masculinising" (androgenic) effect.

Anabolic steroids were developed in the late 1930s and were initially used medically to treat "testicular hypofunction". Somewhat later, researchers realised that anabolic steroids accelerate the growth of skeletal muscles. For this reason, steroids have been increasingly used in recent decades to increase athletic performance and build an "athletic body". Anabolic steroids were initially categorised in the United States as substances with the potential for abuse and dependence and were subsequently added to the list of state-controlled substances. In the past, steroids were used medically to treat underweight, loss of appetite, age-related weakness, osteoporosis and to speed up recovery after serious operations. Today, anabolic steroids are mainly used in medicine to treat so-called "aplastic anaemia", a special form of anaemia, and for severe muscle atrophy following injuries.

As medicines, anabolic steroids are subject to the Medicines Act and require a doctor's prescription. Anyone who passes on or sells these drugs is in breach of the Medicines Act, even if they were originally prescribed by a doctor.