This is achieved by stimulating the production of protein in the body. However, some of the increased muscle bulk may be due to the laying down of water and minerals, so the increase in strength may not be as pronounced as expected. Anabolic steroids promote the growth of many tissues in the body by stimulating the release of the hormone testoterone. By disturbing the body's equilibrium, anabolic steroids can potentially cause damage to many of the body's major organs, particularly the liver, which has to deal with breaking down the compound. There is also a significant risk of damage to the heart, which is made of muscle tissue.
Anabolic steroids can lead to an expansion of the cardiac muscle, which can cause heart attacks.
The drugs also promote the growth of bones, particularly facial bones such as the jaw, and the teeth. There is also an increased risk of cancer. They greatly increase a person's risk of dying early or of suffering long-term physical problems. While the rewards of success in sport are getting greater and greater, the temptation to take anabolic steroids should be offset by the risk of an early grave. Some sports people who take anabolic steroids escape detection because they stop taking the drugs prior to competition, giving the body time to break down the compounds.