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anabolic steroid[an´´ubol´ik ster´oid, stir´–] Pronunciation Key or androgenic steroid[an´´drOjen´ik] Pronunciation Key, any of a group of synthetic derivatives of testosterone that promote muscle and bone growth. Used to treat uncontrolled weight loss in wasting diseases, anabolic steroids have also been taken by bodybuilders and athletes seeking increased muscle mass, strength, and stamina. Such use is banned by the International Olympic Committee and other governing bodies in sports, and under a 1988 federal law it is illegal to distribute anabolic steroids for nontherapeutic uses. In 1991 they joined other abused drugs as controlled substances. Nonetheless, a precursor steroid called androstenedione, which converts to testosterone in the body, is available in drugstores without a prescription. Abuse of anabolic steroids may lead to elevated cholesterol levels, liver disease, blood clots leading to heart attack or stroke, increased aggressiveness and irritability, and, in adolescents, permanent stunting of growth. See also steroids.
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