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Anabolic steroids

  • Posted By
    10Pointer
  • Categories
    Science & Technology
  • Published
    3rd May, 2022

Context

From two Tokyo Olympians being banned to Noida Police seizing fake drugs and supplements worth Rs 2 crore, anabolic steroids have often been in news, although not for the right reasons.

What are anabolic steroids?

  • Anabolic steroids are essentially lab-made versions of the male hormone testosterone and have a similar effect of increasing muscle mass as the natural hormone does. 
  • It also increases male characteristics in a person, such as facial hair and a deeper voice.

How are they different from steroids?

  • These are, however, very different from the steroids that are prescribed by doctors for inflammations, several autoimmune diseases, or to suppress the body’s immune system during a Covid-19 infection. 
  • These medicines are called corticosteroids and are lab-made molecules that mimic the action of the hormone called cortisol that controls the body’s stress response, metabolism, and inflammation.

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