Anabolic steroids are synthetic derivatives of the male hormone testosterone.
These derivatives of testosterone promote the growth of skeletal muscle and increase lean body mass. Anabolic steroids were first abused nonmedically by elite athletes seeking to improve performance. Today, athletes and others use steroids to enhance performance and also to improve physical appearance. Steroids are taken orally or injected, and athletes and other abusers take them typically in cycles of weeks or months, rather than continuously, in patterns called cycling. Cycling involves taking multiple doses of steroids over a specific period of time, stopping for a period, and starting again.