Weight training, working out and wanting to build a healthy, strong body are good things. Steroid users put themselves at risk in pursuit of their goal. For the most part, young men want this look because they want to feel better about themselves. Anabolic steroids are a synthetic version of testosterone, the male sex hormone responsible for the growth of long bones and muscles, and for masculine features such as facial hair and a deeper voice.
Steroids are strong prescription drugs with specific medical purposes.
They are a controlled substance, treated similarly in law to heroin or cocaine. This has fueled the supply and sale of steroids on the black market, where some come from licensed manufacturers, but most are counterfeit. As a result, the steroids that young people take may be impure or unclean. Some young men use steroids to increase their performance in sport. Others use steroids to change their appearance.