​

This is how anabolic steroids are portrayed to the general public by popular media such as YouTube:

Anabolic steroids can be used medically as miracle drugs that cure diseases, save lives, and do wonders for the body in terms of healing and recovery.

However, when the general public uses anabolic steroids for the purpose of enhancing athletic performance and physique, they suddenly become deadly drugs, killing those who use them.

How can anabolic steroids help a sick person, but kill a healthy athlete - how is this possible?

Clearly, there is something very wrong here.

The problem with defining anabolic steroids as a drug is that they are very different from almost every other drug in existence.

Anabolic steroids behave differently, function differently, and have a number of different effects compared to other commonly known drugs.

That's why there are various movements in different countries around the world calling for anabolic steroids to be legalized or at least decriminalized.

These organizations and movements also support the idea of putting anabolic steroids in a completely separate category of drugs.

Anabolic steroids are simply hormones and analogs/derivatives of hormones that exist in the human body: Testosterone and related analogs.

The problem with defining anabolic steroid use and anabolic steroid abuse is that, as mentioned earlier, they are not like other drugs (even when compared to alcohol or tobacco in general).

The problem here is that anabolic steroids have very different effects than other drugs, making the definitions of use and abuse too enigmatic, vague, and too open-ended to be recognized.

In this article, I will attempt to give a proper definition of anabolic steroid abuse and explain the parameters under which anabolic steroid use for the purpose of physique and athletic performance enhancement turns into anabolic steroid abuse for the same purpose.

​

Defining use and abuse 1/2: Context of use

For every drug, supplement, compound, chemical, and food in existence, there is something called a risk:benefit ratio.

This can be simply defined as an increase in the amount of benefit compared to an increase in risk, and there are a number of factors that determine this.

These factors include the type of drug/combination/steroid used, the dose used, the duration of use, the individual's genetic response, and age.

There are many drugs that exhibit a very high risk:benefit ratio, where the risk is very high relative to the dose needed to elicit a beneficial effect, and there are also many drugs that exhibit a much lower risk:benefit ratio, where the risk is much lower relative to the dose needed to elicit a beneficial effect.

Anabolic steroids fall into the latter, low risk:benefit ratio category, as evidenced by the fact that they are considered one of the safest drugs in medicine and the medical community considers anabolic steroids to be low-risk therapeutic compounds with a high degree of safety.

However, as with all things, there are also some very pronounced health risks associated with the abuse of these substances, especially if the abuse slowly turns into overuse.

​

The dictionary definition of abuse is

Abuse.

1.to use beyond a certain standard or limit.

Drug abuse.

2. to use a right or power beyond its intended purpose or scope.

Abuse of public power.

The dictionary definition of abuse provides a solid basis for the definition of anabolic steroid abuse.

The dictionary definition of abuse is too limited and vague, especially when it comes to the subject of drugs and anabolic steroids.

Therefore, it is very important to understand the absolute importance of context, which is as follows

Context is defined as the set of circumstances or facts surrounding, influencing, or determining a particular event or situation.

When discussing science and medicine-based topics, the context in which an individual views a topic is of utmost importance, given the fact that sweeping statements or accusations should never be used because there are too many variables to consider when making simplified, vague, broad, or sweeping statements or claims.

For example, when popular media claims that "anabolic steroids are bad for you" or "anabolic steroids will ruin your body," there is no explanation of the context in which these claims and statements are made.

The media has never discussed under what conditions, circumstances, or factors anabolic steroids "ruin" an individual's body.

This is because the media is only interested in one thing: sensationalism.

They are not interested in truth, facts, or proper context.

The goal of the media and the government is simply to implement scare tactics to curb anabolic steroid use.

​

There are currently multiple definitions of anabolic steroid abuse, depending on the source and person.

While there are many arguments about the correct definition of anabolic steroid abuse, there are roughly three commonly accepted definitions of anabolic steroid abuse.

Almost all of these definitions of anabolic steroid abuse are flawed, utilize improper logic, and fail to consider this factor (context) in relation to the importance of context discussed above.

The three most commonly argued reasons are (and will be analyzed in detail)

1. using anabolic steroids without a valid prescription or deviating from prescribed instructions.

2. Doses that exceed the testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) dosage.

3. breaking the law by using anabolic steroids in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) or its international equivalent (if one exists).

​

1. using anabolic steroids without a valid prescription or deviating from prescribed instructions:

This is a very flawed attempt at defining anabolic steroid abuse, given the fact that drugs have been discovered or developed that are utilized off-label for a variety of purposes.

Human growth hormone is one of those drugs that is not an anabolic steroid, but falls into a "gray area" where the indications for use are very open-ended.

This case is no different, especially when you consider the fact that many anabolic steroids developed during the anabolic steroid development boom of the 1950s and 1960s were actually developed for anabolic purposes,

and that many anabolic steroids developed in the 1970s were actually developed for athletic performance enhancement purposes (e.g., Dianabol (methandrostenolone), Anavar (oxandrolone), Winstrol (stanozolol), Deca Durabolin (nandrolone), Trenbolone, Sustanon, and Anadrol (oxymetholone)).

Many doctors still prescribe a variety of drugs that they deem necessary for uses that are not included in the prescribing guidelines set by the FDA.

There is also a wide range of conditions for which doctors believe anabolic steroids can be used to treat their patients, and this varies from country to country around the world.

Globally, there is no single, strict set of prescribing guidelines that doctors must follow when deciding what (and how) to use a particular drug.

2.Any dose that exceeds a testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) dose:

Once again, the issue of dosage is a poor attempt at definition that is closely related to the first attempted definition of anabolic steroid abuse.

Simply put, many doctors consider the use of anabolic steroids in any dose for any purpose (including medical purposes) to be abuse.

In fact, since the overwhelming majority of doctors consider TRT doses of testosterone to be abuse, it is clear that this is an inadequate definition in any way.

3. breaking the law by using anabolic steroids in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) or its international equivalent (if one exists):

This is another seriously flawed definition of anabolic steroid abuse, often described by those who argue that abuse means breaking the law.

This is the same sentiment that pushed for prohibition and repeal in the 1920s and 1930s, which clearly caused more disastrous problems than it solved.

While it can be argued that the law can infer the definition of abuse, the law is not in itself the absolute and final definition of anything, and certainly not the definition of abuse.

Whether a particular substance or activity is considered legal or illegal has absolutely nothing to do with the definition of use or abuse, or even whether it is morally right or wrong.

This is nowhere more evident than in the case of anabolic steroids, where it's easy for anyone to see that they are perfectly legal to sell, buy, possess, and use in the vast majority of countries on the planet.

So does that mean that in countries where anabolic steroid use is legal, such as the UK, Canada, and many countries in Europe and the Middle East, every individual using anabolic steroids is abusing them simply because they are considered illegal under national law? This makes no logical sense and is a very obvious flaw.

​

While the following sentence may be a bit of an exaggeration, anabolic steroid laws in South Korea (and other countries that have followed suit and criminalized the use, possession, sale, and purchase of anabolic steroids) are considered to be similar in nature to those of totalitarian dictatorships like the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany, where the state (government) decides what is best and what is "approved" use.

While these examples may be somewhat exaggerated, they are by no means hyperbole and are not far removed from the truth and reality.

So if the law changes, will the definition of abuse change as well?

This is perhaps the most flawed attempt at a definition of anabolic steroid abuse.

So what is the correct definition of anabolic steroid abuse?

We'll answer that question now.

​

Defining Anabolic Steroid Abuse Part 2 of 2: Drawing the Line

There is always an inherent risk in the use of any drug, regardless of the dosage, and as mentioned earlier, there are drugs, supplements, and even foods that have a high risk (benefit) to risk (risk to benefit) ratio.

This concept has already been defined before, but it is very important to emphasize it again to emphasize the importance of this concept to our readers.

The risk of a drug:

Another way to describe the benefit ratio is as the ratio of the effective dose (the dose needed to elicit a desired or positive effect) to the lethal dose (the dose needed to elicit a lethal or fatal harmful effect).

If the effective dose is too close to the lethal dose for a particular drug, this should be taken into account.

There are many drugs that can be used in moderation with an effective dose that is not close to the lethal dose.

Drugs that exhibit this characteristic are known to have a low risk-to-benefit ratio or lethal dose-to-effective dose ratio.

Anabolic steroids are an example of this.

There are many drugs, chemicals, foods, and compounds that have a very high risk:benefit ratio.

Peanuts are one example where a person with a severe peanut allergy can be fatally affected by even moderate amounts of peanuts.

For these people, moderation can be very difficult and even impossible.

What constitutes a "moderate" amount of intake or use varies widely, and moderation is often difficult to define.

There is nothing "moderate" about drinking bleach.

There is no moderate amount of bleach to drink, and a person with a severe peanut allergy cannot eat peanuts 'in moderation' (in fact, many people cannot even smell the scent of peanuts without suffering a fatal reaction).

However, it is possible for an individual to drink alcohol in moderation (drinking socially or occasionally is not the same as becoming an alcoholic or 'hammering' by drinking too much).

It is also possible for an individual to eat fast food and junk food in moderation, as overeating fast food once a week will not cause fatal or horrible damage if the rest of the week's diet is clean and healthy (both in the short and long term).

These examples should be provided so that readers can relate to similar situations (e.g., alcohol use/abuse or eating fast food in moderation or not).

​

This leaves us with two questions

-Can steroids be used in moderation?

-What is the definition of steroid abuse (not moderate use)?

​

First, it's important to understand that putting anabolic steroids in the same category as cocaine or meth is a gross lie and disrespectful (a common practice by governments and popular media outlets like YouTube).

It is also a lie and a huge disrespect to put anabolic steroids in the same category as alcohol.

The fact is that alcohol can be used in moderation, but it is known to cause 10-15 times more damage than anabolic steroids.

With this revelation, anabolic steroid abuse can be more accurately defined as

When the risk (benefit) ratio becomes so high due to an unreasonable increase in dosage, duration of use, and/or frequency of use that the physical damage is elevated to a level where it becomes significant.

While these appropriate definitions have been determined, a few specific details require some clarification.

We also need to delve deeper into the proper definition of anabolic steroid abuse and determine the line that separates anabolic steroid use from anabolic steroid abuse.

These are very important points and details, perhaps the most important details and points in this article, and if the reader is to take away only one specific detail from this article, they should remember the following

So let's cover that now.

Explaining the slippery slope of anabolic steroid use to abuse

Defining a certain dose as "abuse" is not the best way to determine anabolic steroid abuse.

Most men can adequately tolerate supraphysiologic levels of testosterone (higher than normal physiologic levels) without risking significant harm to their bodies.

How high a dose of testosterone can be moderately/safely tolerated before serious physical harm occurs is entirely dependent on the male subject in question.

Different individuals react differently to different doses of different drugs, supplements, and foods.

While one individual may be able to tolerate a certain dose of testosterone without significant harm, another individual given the same dose of testosterone may exhibit excessive physical harm to the point of falling into the abuse category.

In the case of an individual who tolerates a particular dose very well, it would be very difficult to categorize that person's use as abuse if no harm is caused.

With this in mind, there is a spectrum in the general population where a certain average dose of a particular anabolic steroid is considered safe enough for the average individual to be considered moderately safe use and not abuse.

However, exceptions exist at both ends of the spectrum, with individuals having extremely negative physical harmful reactions to doses that are considered safe and moderate for the average individual, and individuals having reactions that are unlikely to cause physical harm to extreme doses that are harmful, unsafe, and considered abuse for the average individual.

These details are very important, and the reader should understand these concepts as paramount.

The best way to illustrate the transition from use to abuse is to once again refer to another topic that the average individual can relate to.

Once again, fast food and alcohol use will be utilized as similar examples and analogies.

It has been mentioned before that it is indeed possible to consume alcohol in moderation and fast food in moderation without causing physical harm, injury, or damage.

It has also been previously clarified that there is a significant difference between an alcoholic or binge drinker and someone who drinks a little socially.

Similarly, there is a significant difference between an individual with healthy nutritional habits eating junk food once a week (or less) and consuming unhealthy foods multiple times a day.

​

In the examples/types provided, one individual (alcohol/junk food abuse) is clearly causing a large amount of damage to their body, while the other individual (alcohol/junk food moderation) is expressing a clear ability to control their alcohol or junk food intake to an appropriate amount and maintain common sense while consuming alcohol/junk food in moderation.

When certain activities turn into compulsive tendencies/habits, they are considered abuse.

The general definition of abuse in relation to substance abuse is always defined as when the harmful effects/disturbances begin to outweigh the benefits.

This is the case with anabolic steroid use and abuse.

It has been identified that there is a tipping point where the line separating use and abuse of certain substances is crossed.

But how does this apply to anabolic steroids?

The truth is, the potential harms associated with anabolic steroid use and abuse are largely dependent on the dosage and duration of use (in relation to an individual's personal response to the drug).

This is why many anabolic steroid users consider anabolic steroid use to be almost completely safe, especially if they overdo the dosage and overextend the duration of their use.

It is at this point that anabolic steroid users' use begins to slowly transition into abuse.

Many of these users will continue to increase their dosage unnecessarily with each subsequent cycle, and will often slowly add more and more compounds to their cycle stack.

These particular individuals always believe that they are in control of the user and that health problems only happen to other people.

Just like alcohol abuse, where no one wakes up one morning and decides to become an alcoholic, the downward spiral of drug abuse is often not recognized by the abuser themselves until it is too late.

No, this is a slow progression that often goes unnoticed, and it is very easy for anabolic steroid users to fall into harmful thoughts.

​

Commonalities of Steroid Abuse and Individuals Most Likely to Abuse

There are many reasons why different people fall into the category of anabolic steroid abuser.

There are also different types of anabolic steroid abusers and individuals who are more likely to abuse.

The first thing to clarify is how frequent and common anabolic steroid abuse really is.

Spin doctors in the popular media and government would have everyone believe that all anabolic steroid users are abusers.

But as we've discussed in this article so far, it's clear that this is not the case at all.

Furthermore, the portrayal of the typical anabolic steroid user as portrayed by the mass media and the government is so deeply and seriously flawed that it should be considered an outright lie and a gross exaggeration that undermines the truth of the situation.

No real statistical data is provided by the government and the mass media to support these claims, as real statistical data always shows the exact opposite of what the government and the mass media often tell the public.

In this article, we will now clarify the real truth about anabolic steroid use and abuse.

While actual anabolic steroid abuse is much rarer than commonly believed, it does exist and is still a serious concern.

Before we get into the actual statistical data, we must first identify and describe the types of individuals most likely to abuse anabolic steroids:

1. Individuals who are uneducated about anabolic steroids:

This is probably the most common group of individuals who are most likely to abuse anabolic steroids. In very basic terms, these individuals often misuse anabolic steroids because the cause of their abuse is purely due to ignorance.

Unlike other drugs, anabolic steroids are a specific category of drugs that are used for a specific purpose and must be used in a specific way.

The use of these drugs requires extensive research, education, and knowledge before use.

Considering the fact that anabolic steroids are hormones that deal with the endocrine system, this is a complex function of the body.

Indiscriminate use (often out of impatience) by uneducated and ignorant users is the most common cause of anabolic steroid abuse.

2. Anabolic steroid users who abuse compulsively due to a gradual loss of reasoning ability:

This type is the second most common group of abusers, but tends to make up a larger portion of anabolic steroid abusers.

These types have been described in detail in the previous sections of this article, so there's no need to go into detail about this particular group.

​

3. Adolescents: Adolescents and individuals under the age of 24 are the third most common group frequently involved in anabolic steroid abuse.

This is because the guidelines and regulations governing the appropriate and responsible use of anabolic steroids exclude adolescents and children from using anabolic steroids under any circumstances unless they are being treated by a physician.

The problem with anabolic steroid use for performance enhancement in adolescent and high school athletes is that there are several key developmental factors involved in adolescents and children.

Adolescents and children have not yet fully matured or grown in many biological and physiological aspects, including the endocrine system.

The use of any type of anabolic steroid in any dose by adolescents and children can have serious and long-term health consequences, and the risk:benefit ratio associated with anabolic steroid use by minors is so high that it can be concluded that almost any form of use constitutes abuse.

4. Females: It is much more difficult to properly define and determine the category of anabolic steroid abuser in females.

The key here is that the female body is not designed to withstand high levels of androgenic anabolic steroids, as evidenced by the fact that the female body produces only one-tenth of the amount that the male body naturally produces endogenously.

Because of this, the female human body is very resistant to testosterone and its analogs compared to men.

The inclusion of supraphysiologic levels of androgenic hormones in the female body can lead to several serious health problems and permanent long-term undesirable changes that are different from the changes in adolescents/children, but very similar in terms of increased risk: benefit ratio.

The reason why female anabolic steroid use is a difficult 'gray area' where abuse is a concern is that under certain very strict circumstances, women can effectively use anabolic steroids to achieve their aspirations for a great physique and athletic performance.

However, because these guidelines for proper female anabolic steroid use are so strict, the potential for anabolic steroid abuse by women is considered to be very high.

Inaccurate portrayals of anabolic steroid users and actual statistical data

Finally, the truth backed by facts in the form of evidence will show the problems associated with the completely inaccurate portrayal of anabolic steroid users and abusers by the government and mass media.

It was briefly mentioned above that the portrayal of the typical anabolic steroid user as portrayed by the mass media and the government is so deeply and seriously flawed that these portrayals should be considered outright lies and gross exaggerations that undermine the truth of the situation.

​

The media and government frequently and inaccurately portray anabolic steroid users in one of three stereotypes: as athletes or as uneducated, big, brutish people who spend all their time in the gym, earn little and spend all their money, or as if the majority are youth and high school athletes.

In addition to these stereotypes, there are also misinformation about needle and syringe sharing in large numbers, and the stereotype of injecting anabolic steroids in gym locker rooms.

All three of these stereotypes are not only blatant exaggerations, but lies, and when the media portrays anabolic steroid users in these ways, there is often no statistical data or evidence presented to support these claims.

In fact, various studies have shown that the average anabolic steroid user is a middle-class, heterosexual male with an average age of approximately 25-35 years old, who is neither a competitive bodybuilder nor an athlete at any level, and that these anabolic steroid users simply use anabolic steroids for cosmetic enhancement purposes [1].

Furthermore, a 2007 study found that 74% of non-medical anabolic steroid users are actually highly educated with college degrees, and that far fewer have not graduated from high school than the media would have the general public believe [2].

The study also found that non-medical anabolic steroid users have higher employment rates and higher total household incomes than the general population.

A recent survey found that 78.4% of anabolic steroid users were not competitive bodybuilders or athletes, and 13% used unsafe injection procedures (reusing and sharing needles and vials) [3].

However, a 2007 study found that the rate of needle sharing among non-medical anabolic steroid users was actually less than 1% [4].

Medical references

[1] "Anabolic-androgenic steroid use in the United States". Yesalis CE, Kennedy NJ, Kopstein AN, Bahrke MS (1993). JAMA 270(10): 1217-21. doi:10.1001/jama.270.10.1217. pmid 8355384."

[2] "A League of Their Own: Demographics, Motivations, and Use Patterns of 1,955 Male Adult Nonmedical Anabolic Steroid Users in the United States". Cohen, J.; Collins, R.; Darkes, J.; Gwatney, D. (2007). Feedback 4: 12. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-4-12. PMC 2131752. PMID 17931410. //www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2131752/.

[3] "Anabolic-androgenic steroids: a survey of 500 users". Andrew, Parkinson; Nick A. Evans (2006). Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (American College of Sports Medicine) 38(4). pp: 644-651. doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000210194.56834.5d. PMID 16679978. Archived from the original on May 4, 2007. Accessed April 24, 2007. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/533461.

[4] Trends in nonmedical use of anabolic steroids among US college students: results from four national surveys. McCabe SE, Brower KJ, West BT, Nelson TF, Wechsler H (2007). Drug and Alcohol Dependence 90(2-3): 243-51. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2007.04.004. PMC 2383927. PMID 17512138.