How to Recognize Illegal Steroids
Distinguish between anabolic steroids and corticosteroids., Identify anabolic steroids., Double-check what you can take as an athlete., Understand the penalties for illegal use., Note changes in a person’s body mass., Pay attention to mood swings...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Distinguish between anabolic steroids and corticosteroids.
Anabolic steroids are a form of artificial testosterone.
Both men and women have naturally-occurring testosterone, though men will have more.
Athletes and bodybuilders will use anabolic steroids to increase muscle strength and enhance physical appearance.
Athletes and bodybuilders may take steroids in doses ten to 100 times higher than the doses prescribed for medical conditions.Corticosteroids, by contrast, are medicines that reduce swelling.
They may be taken to treat asthma, arthritis, and allergies. -
Step 2: Identify anabolic steroids.
Anabolic steroids are usually taken orally or injected into the muscle.
They can also be applied to the skin as a cream, gel, or patch.Some of the more common names are the following:
Anadrol-50 Methitest Depo-Testosterone Delatestryl Natesto Axiron AndroGel , If you are an athlete, you probably want to know what you can take to recover from an injury or to improve your performance.
Don’t assume corticosteroids are allowed simply because they don't build muscle mass.
Instead, contact your sport’s governing body for an official list of banned substances.
Carefully read the list.
You don’t want to overlook something.
Keep up with changes.
Athletic organizations frequently add new drugs to their banned substances list.
What was legal last year might not be legal this year. , In the United States, possession of anabolic steroids is illegal without a prescription and is a federal offense.
Penalties depend on the circumstances of the offense:
Simple possession carries a minimum $1,000 penalty and a maximum prison sentence of one year (if this is a first offense).
Trafficking anabolic steroids carries a penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine (if this is the first felony offense).
If this is your second offense, then penalties double.
States also impose penalties on top of the federal penalties.
Accordingly, you may have to serve more time in prison or pay a larger fine. , Athletes take anabolic steroids to increase muscle mass and recover quicker between workouts.You should look for sudden changes in muscle size and strength.
These may indicate steroid use.
Steroid users also have upper body muscles that are disproportionately larger than their lower body muscles.The changes should be rapid.
Over time, someone can increase their muscle mass without steroids.
However, steroids probably account for rapid growth in muscle mass. , Anabolic steroids can disturb the user’s psychology.
Pay attention to the following changes in mood, which may indicate steroid use:
Increase in aggression and hostility.
Nervousness or extreme irritability.
The person is “touchy.” Mood swings, in particular manic-like swings that can erupt into violence.
Depression.
Delusions, including a feeling of invincibility.
The person may engage in irrational, risky behavior. , The increased testosterone in the body will cause changes to the person’s skin.
In particular, steroid use causes severe acne on both men and women.A person’s skin may also yellow, which is called “jaundice.”The skin may also develop stretch marks because the muscle is growing so fast.
Stretch marks look like scars on the skin., When men take anabolic steroids, excess testosterone is converted into estrogen.
Accordingly, estrogen begins to predominate in the body and a man's chest will take the shape of women's breasts.In particular, a man's pectorals will become pointy looking with fat accumulation around the nipples. , Another side effect of anabolic steroids is baldness or thinning hair.Although many men bald naturally, they don’t lose large amounts of hair all at once.
Look for rapid thinning.
A man might shave his head to mask his thinning hair, so don't rely solely on thinning hair as a red flag that someone has used steroids. , When women use steroids, they become more masculine in many respects.
For example, a woman’s voice might become deeper.Of course, a woman might naturally have a deep voice, so pay attention to sudden changes in the voice.
Women also grow more hair when they use steroids, on the face and body.
It's possible for women using steroids to grow more body hair and also go bald. , Steroid use can be detected with a urine test.
Some at-home tests have also recently come onto the market.
If you suspect someone is using steroids, you can ask them to take a urine test.
Detection time for lab tests varies from a few days to 18 months, depending on the quantity and method of injection., A person using steroids legally should be able to tell you why.
They also should be able to produce a prescription or the name of the doctor who gave them the prescription.
If the person hesitates, then you probably know they do not have the steroids legally.
A doctor might prescribe anabolic steroids for the following purposes:
The patient needs to stimulate bone marrow or prevent bone loss.
A doctor wants to induce puberty in a patient.
The patient suffers from a wasting condition that causes them to lose weight.
Anabolic steroids can stimulate appetite and preserve muscle.
A patient wants to undergo gender reassignment. , You can call the police and report illegal possession or trafficking in steroids.
Gather the following information and have it handy when you call the police: name of the suspected user date and time you saw them with steroids where you saw the steroids details about why you suspect illegal steroid use , Athletes are generally prohibited from using steroids even with a prescription.
The athletic association will pass laws restricting or banning the use of different substances, including steroids.If you suspect an athlete has used steroids, you should tell someone.
Who you tell will depend on the sport you play.
If you play high school sports, you should talk to your coaches.
If you are in college, talk to your coaches and athletic director.
Ideally, a coach will take reports of steroid use seriously.
However, there is a lot of money and pressure in college athletics today.
Coaches might sweep the problem under the rug, so be sure to tell the AD.
If you play professional sports, then contact league officials to report suspected steroid use. -
Step 3: Double-check what you can take as an athlete.
-
Step 4: Understand the penalties for illegal use.
-
Step 5: Note changes in a person’s body mass.
-
Step 6: Pay attention to mood swings.
-
Step 7: Look for changes to the person's skin.
-
Step 8: Check for breast development on men.
-
Step 9: Note thinning hair in men.
-
Step 10: Pay attention to “masculinization” in women.
-
Step 11: Have someone take a drug test.
-
Step 12: Ask why the person is taking steroids.
-
Step 13: Notify law enforcement.
-
Step 14: Report steroid use to sports authorities.
Detailed Guide
Anabolic steroids are a form of artificial testosterone.
Both men and women have naturally-occurring testosterone, though men will have more.
Athletes and bodybuilders will use anabolic steroids to increase muscle strength and enhance physical appearance.
Athletes and bodybuilders may take steroids in doses ten to 100 times higher than the doses prescribed for medical conditions.Corticosteroids, by contrast, are medicines that reduce swelling.
They may be taken to treat asthma, arthritis, and allergies.
Anabolic steroids are usually taken orally or injected into the muscle.
They can also be applied to the skin as a cream, gel, or patch.Some of the more common names are the following:
Anadrol-50 Methitest Depo-Testosterone Delatestryl Natesto Axiron AndroGel , If you are an athlete, you probably want to know what you can take to recover from an injury or to improve your performance.
Don’t assume corticosteroids are allowed simply because they don't build muscle mass.
Instead, contact your sport’s governing body for an official list of banned substances.
Carefully read the list.
You don’t want to overlook something.
Keep up with changes.
Athletic organizations frequently add new drugs to their banned substances list.
What was legal last year might not be legal this year. , In the United States, possession of anabolic steroids is illegal without a prescription and is a federal offense.
Penalties depend on the circumstances of the offense:
Simple possession carries a minimum $1,000 penalty and a maximum prison sentence of one year (if this is a first offense).
Trafficking anabolic steroids carries a penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine (if this is the first felony offense).
If this is your second offense, then penalties double.
States also impose penalties on top of the federal penalties.
Accordingly, you may have to serve more time in prison or pay a larger fine. , Athletes take anabolic steroids to increase muscle mass and recover quicker between workouts.You should look for sudden changes in muscle size and strength.
These may indicate steroid use.
Steroid users also have upper body muscles that are disproportionately larger than their lower body muscles.The changes should be rapid.
Over time, someone can increase their muscle mass without steroids.
However, steroids probably account for rapid growth in muscle mass. , Anabolic steroids can disturb the user’s psychology.
Pay attention to the following changes in mood, which may indicate steroid use:
Increase in aggression and hostility.
Nervousness or extreme irritability.
The person is “touchy.” Mood swings, in particular manic-like swings that can erupt into violence.
Depression.
Delusions, including a feeling of invincibility.
The person may engage in irrational, risky behavior. , The increased testosterone in the body will cause changes to the person’s skin.
In particular, steroid use causes severe acne on both men and women.A person’s skin may also yellow, which is called “jaundice.”The skin may also develop stretch marks because the muscle is growing so fast.
Stretch marks look like scars on the skin., When men take anabolic steroids, excess testosterone is converted into estrogen.
Accordingly, estrogen begins to predominate in the body and a man's chest will take the shape of women's breasts.In particular, a man's pectorals will become pointy looking with fat accumulation around the nipples. , Another side effect of anabolic steroids is baldness or thinning hair.Although many men bald naturally, they don’t lose large amounts of hair all at once.
Look for rapid thinning.
A man might shave his head to mask his thinning hair, so don't rely solely on thinning hair as a red flag that someone has used steroids. , When women use steroids, they become more masculine in many respects.
For example, a woman’s voice might become deeper.Of course, a woman might naturally have a deep voice, so pay attention to sudden changes in the voice.
Women also grow more hair when they use steroids, on the face and body.
It's possible for women using steroids to grow more body hair and also go bald. , Steroid use can be detected with a urine test.
Some at-home tests have also recently come onto the market.
If you suspect someone is using steroids, you can ask them to take a urine test.
Detection time for lab tests varies from a few days to 18 months, depending on the quantity and method of injection., A person using steroids legally should be able to tell you why.
They also should be able to produce a prescription or the name of the doctor who gave them the prescription.
If the person hesitates, then you probably know they do not have the steroids legally.
A doctor might prescribe anabolic steroids for the following purposes:
The patient needs to stimulate bone marrow or prevent bone loss.
A doctor wants to induce puberty in a patient.
The patient suffers from a wasting condition that causes them to lose weight.
Anabolic steroids can stimulate appetite and preserve muscle.
A patient wants to undergo gender reassignment. , You can call the police and report illegal possession or trafficking in steroids.
Gather the following information and have it handy when you call the police: name of the suspected user date and time you saw them with steroids where you saw the steroids details about why you suspect illegal steroid use , Athletes are generally prohibited from using steroids even with a prescription.
The athletic association will pass laws restricting or banning the use of different substances, including steroids.If you suspect an athlete has used steroids, you should tell someone.
Who you tell will depend on the sport you play.
If you play high school sports, you should talk to your coaches.
If you are in college, talk to your coaches and athletic director.
Ideally, a coach will take reports of steroid use seriously.
However, there is a lot of money and pressure in college athletics today.
Coaches might sweep the problem under the rug, so be sure to tell the AD.
If you play professional sports, then contact league officials to report suspected steroid use.
About the Author
Jonathan Tucker
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in organization and beyond.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: