What is an anabolic steroid

What is an anabolic steroid?

Ok so you have probably heard about anabolic steroids in the media etc and all about how bad they are etc.. or someone claiming that it turns athletes superhuman. These sorts of claims are by people who do not know much about the topic, let alone what an anabolic steroid is. Its not just professional athletes that use steroids in fact they are the minority, around 75% of steroid users are not competing athletes, it used to be that steroids were only used by athletes and professional bodybuilders however now ere days the average joe wanting bigger arms to impress the ladies are using them. Its these sorts of idiots that do not know what they are doing and give the usage of steroids a bad name. Anabolic steroids -- or more precisely, anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) -- are the synthetic derivatives of the naturally occurring male anabolic hormone testosterone. Both anabolic and androgenic have origins from the Greek: anabolic, meaning "to build," and androgenic, meaning "masculinizing." Testosterone's natural androgenic effects trigger the maturing of the male reproductive system in puberty, including the growth of body hair and the deepening of the voice. The hormone's anabolic effect helps the body retain dietary protein, which aids in the development of muscles.After searching the internet I have also come across the following dictionary definitions of the word ‘anabolic steroid'.

anabolic steroid -noun
a synthetic derivative of testosterone, sometimes used by athletes to help increase weight and strength.
Dictionary.com

anabolic steroid
n.
A group of synthetic hormones that promote the storage of protein and the growth of tissue, sometimes used by athletes to increase muscle size and strength.American hertitage dictionary

anabolic steroid
n. A group of synthetic hormones that promote the storage of protein and the growth of tissue.
Stedmans medical dictionary

For more information on anabolic steroids and the basics visit this thread