Anabolic steroids are prescription drugs designed to treat delayed puberty, muscle-wasting disease, and other related issues. They are only legally available through a doctor’s prescription. Many athletes seeking an edge try to obtain these drugs without a prescription or acquire them illegally, but the consequences can be life-threatening. According to The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), sharing or using unapproved anabolic steroids carries many risks, including heart problems, liver toxicity, and negative effects on cholesterol levels, among other side effects.
However, there is some confusion about whether doctors prescribe anabolic steroids for bodybuilding purposes even if they do not have a prescription from the patient. Some unscrupulous bodybuilders reportedly solicit medical professionals to prescribe the steroid by lying about the cause of their symptoms. When anabolic steroids are prescribed for an approved medical purpose, there is little chance that they will be abused.
To avoid misleading the prescribing doctor, the individual must discuss their past with complete honesty about any history relevant to their present physical health. For example, if someone has used illegal drugs in the past- even marijuana- it would be important to say so because this could later affect treatment plans. The doctor should also ask how often and in what quantity one uses illicit drugs. Bodybuilders should never assume that a doctor does not need or want this information because, without it, they may prescribe medications that could potentially cause problems later on, such as high cholesterol levels and liver damage due to high levels of nandrolone.
Emphasizing that anabolic steroids are for performance enhancement rather than muscle growth is another way to reduce the likelihood of abuse. Some people lie about their reasons for using the drugs, but the doctor is unlikely to prescribe them unless certain information is shared during consultations. Doctors do not prescribe these medications without asking questions because they understand how serious it can be if anabolic steroids are abused or not taken correctly. In other cases, doctors may deny a request for anabolic steroids because there could be other possible treatments available that could be safer and just as effective in some cases.
Professional bodybuilders who have been training seriously for several years develop muscles that are already enhanced to a certain degree through normal training. In addition, athletic bodies typically look well-developed and muscular because athletes practice strict regimens and engage in additional activities such as cardio and weight training to build muscle mass.