Why Women Use Anabolic Steroids

Anabolic steroids were first created in the 1930s for medical purposes, and now they are often used to increase physical performance in sports. Although men were once the only users, this is no longer the case as more and more women are using steroids to enhance their physique and build muscle. Women and Steroids Steroid use in women can be considered more controversial than in men because of the more permanent side effects that can occur. Steroids are synthetic substances related to the male sex hormone testosterone that have both androgenic (masculinization) and anabolic (tissue-building) effects on the human body. Women produce much less testosterone than men, so when a woman uses steroids, the effects are more pronounced. A study of bodybuilders in 2000 showed that male bodybuilders weren’t the only ones taking steroids to bulk up; this was one of the first studies of women and steroids. According to data cited in the study, 145,000 American women had used steroids at some point in their lives. Why Women Use Steroids Women use anabolic and other types of steroids for many reasons. Some benefits of using them include: * Reduced body fatrn* Increase in lean muscle massrn* Increased strengthrn* Euphoria and increased self-esteemrn* More energyrn* Increased sexual arousal There are other reasons women take them, too. Some women believe taking steroids will help increase gender equality. Others might do it for personal gain — monetary or recognition. And other women feel they need to take steroids in order to protect themselves. Women and Bodybuilding Most women bodybuilders didn’t begin taking steroids until after Rachel McLish won Ms. Olympia, the women's bodybuilding portion of the international bodybuilding competition. McLish herself didn’t take steroids, but the display of her muscle mass helped change opinions about women having muscles. Other women began to want to build their muscles, or they were told they had to in order to compete. Gradually, gyms began adding rooms for women, too. Women and Olympic Sports Because Olympic athletes are under so much pressure to succeed, some women use steroids to improve their performance. Marion Jones, a track and field star, is the most well-known woman athlete to use steroids because she was once considered the fastest female in the world. Use of steroids by high-level athletes began in East Germany in the 1950s, when female and male athletes were given state-provided steroid pills. By the 1980s, steroids were being used by Olympic competitors and other athletes in many other countries, as well. Today, it is thought by some experts that perhaps almost all Olympic short-distance runners, including women, use steroids. Women and Steroids in the Future As media and culture influence women to be something they can’t be naturally, steroids and other supplements will continue to entice.