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Flashcards in Anabolic Androgenic Steroids Deck (23)
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1
Q

When were steroids first used?

A
  • Early major documented use in the 1953 Olympics (weightlifting). Androgenic side effects an issue.
  • Used widely by 1969.
2
Q

What are the effects of anabolic androgenic steroids?

A
  • Anabolic - increase muscle size, mass and strength
  • Androgenic - masculinising properties
  • Used therapeutically for amnesia, thrombosis and to build muscle for the bed-ridden.
3
Q

What did Bhasin et al (2001) find?

A

That steroids (testosterone injections) increased muscle strength and volume in men in a matched-pairs design.

4
Q

What do all anabolic steroids contain?

A

Testosterone or testosterone derivatives.

5
Q

How can steroids be administered?

A

Orally or by injection (intramuscular).

6
Q

Endurance athletes may take low doses, how many times the therapeutic dose do bodybuilders take?

A

Up to 100x.

7
Q

What is stacking?

A

Using more than one steroid at a time (supposedly enhances effectiveness).

8
Q

Steroid taking is often cycled. What does this mean?

A

The user takes the steroids for 6-12 weeks then abstains.

9
Q

What does ‘cycling’ supposedly do?

A
  • Minimises tolerance
  • Reduces occurence of side effects
  • Maximises performance
  • Minimises detection.
10
Q

What technique is often combined with cycling, and what does it mean?

A

Pyramiding - increasing the dose gradually until the midpoint of the cycle then decreasing again. Supposedly reduces withdrawal.

11
Q

Steroids administered in what way are potentially metabolised too fast in the liver to act?

A

Orally administered.

12
Q

What type of effects are variations designed to minimise?

A

Androgenic. Anabolic effect desired.

13
Q

What class of drugs are steroids and in what situations can they be possessed/used?

A

Class C - sold by pharmacists only, can be imported if only for personal use.

14
Q

How do steroids work?

A

Theoretically, they act at androgen receptors (present in cytoplasm of skeletal muscle) - they activate the receptor, which increases protein synthesis and muscle growth through regulating DNA transcription of specific genes.

15
Q

How does the androgenic effect of steroids work?

A

Testosterone is converted in some tissues to DHT, which has androgenic effects.

16
Q

How can steroids cause feminising effects?

A

Testosterone can be converted to estradiol by aromatase, which mediates the effect of testosterone on the CNS = feminising.

17
Q

What is the problem with the androgen receptors theory?

A

Some people argue that normally the receptors are already saturated.

18
Q

What are alternative mechanisms by which steroids could work, other than at androgen receptors?

A
  • Steroids could induce receptor expression in muscle
  • Androgens could be antagonists for glucocorticoid hormones, decreasing protein synthesis and increasing protein breakdown.
19
Q

What are the possible health consequences of anabolic steroid use?

A
  • Cardiovascular: high BP, clotting, red blood cells, decreased HDL cholesterol.
  • Liver: jaundice, peliosis hepatic, tumours.
  • Skin and hair: oily skin, acne, baldness
  • Growth effects: stunting in adolescents due to premature epiphyseal closure.
  • Behavioural: increased libido, irritability and aggressiveness, dependence, moodswings, paranoia and confusion, insomnia
  • Men: testicular shrinkage, reduced sperm counts, prostate enlargement, gynecomastia
  • Women: menstrual abnormalities, voice deepening, hair growth, clitoris enlargement, decreased breast size.
20
Q

What did Pope et al (2000) find about increased irritability and aggression in steroid users?

A

84% experienced almost no change.
12% mild mania, 4% strong mania.
Differential susceptibility.

21
Q

Are steroids addictive?

A

To some extent - users seem to show withdrawal symptoms (fatigue, depression, insomnia, restlessness, anorexia and decreased libido.
May reinforce because of body image improvement.

22
Q

What have laboratory studies shown about the addictiveness of steroids?

A

Systemic and nucleus accumbens testosterone produces a place preference in mice which is blocked by D1/D2 antagonist (flupenthixol) (Packard et al, 1998).

23
Q

What evidence is there that steroids are not addictive?

A
  • Don’t produce euphoria or elicit cravings during withdrawal.