Steroid is a term used for any of numerous compounds containing a 17-carbon 4-ring system and including the sterols and various hormones (as anabolic steroids ) and glycosides. The federal Anabolic Steroid Control Act was passed in 2004. It redefines many steroid precursors ("prohormones" and "pro-steroids") to be illegal anabolic steroids and authorizes individuals who possess these products to be arrested and prosecuted.
Testosterone has an androgenic, or masculinizing, function and an anabolic, or tissue-building, function. The drug attracts athletes, who take testosterone to increase their muscle mass and strength and decrease their body fat. When testosterone is combined with a rigorous weight-training regimen, spectacular gains in size and power can result. Steroids are a systemic problem in professional athletics.
