Anabolic Steroid Use Anabolic Steroids Anabolic Steroid Use From NIDA . The National Institute on Drug Abuse. More articles about steroids are located here .
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 non medically by elite athletes seeking to improve performance. Today, athletes and others use steroids to enhance performance and also to improve physical appearance. Extent Of Use Monitoring the Future assesses drug use among adolescents and young adults across the country. Because of growing professional and public concern over the misuse and abuse of steroids by adolescents and young adults, questions regarding anabolic steroid use were added to the Monitoring the Future Study in 1989 to afford a better understanding of the extent of the problem.