Do anabolic steroids enhance athletic performance?
Yes, but only in certain events. In general, anabolic steroids enhance muscle strength and muscular power. Thus, they enhance performance in sports/events that require explosive power such as football, wrestling, shot put, 100-meter dash, etc. They do not appear to be beneficial in events such as marathon, cycling, etc. However, their ability to boost muscle protein metabolism suggests that anabolic steroids might enhance training and recovery in any athlete. Q: Will I die if I take anabolic steroids? ANSWER: While you are not likely to die from a single dose of an anabolic steroid like you might if you injected heroin or cocaine, abuse of anabolic steroids promotes heart disease, worsens the blood lipid profile, and increases the risk of various cancers. Thus, in that regard, anabolic steroids can “contribute” to death. The more important question is: what is the justification for taking any performance-enhancing drug? Anabolic steroids are banned substances and have serious short-ter
