Anabolic steroids are banned in most sports, any athlete found using them is usually suspended for long periods and stripped of any titles they may have gained whilst they were using steroids. How they work Anabolic steroids do have legitimate medical uses, but tend to be prescribed in far smaller doses than those taken by people using non-prescribed steroids. How steroids work in the body is complicated and a little unclear. It is thought that the drug enters the bloodstream and finds particular body cells for which it has an affinity. These cells include skeletal muscle cells, hairs follicles, sebaceous glands and certain areas of the brain.
Steroids appear to increase protein production and so increases the size and strength of the muscle.
This process can reverse if the muscle is not stimulated, hence training is an important factor. It is also thought that steroids can increase blood volume and therefore increase blood flow and oxygen supply to the muscles. There also appears to be a increase in glycogen retention which increases endurance. Glycogen is the 'fuel' the body makes from its carbohydrate intake. Anabolic steroids also appear to inhibit cortisol, which the body produces to break down muscle mass.