The anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) are synthetic androgens derived from testosterone, called in that way due to the appearance of anabolic and androgenic actions impossible to dissociate. Perhaps is due to the existence of a single androgen receptor (AR). At the beginning, the interest for the AAS was extremely exclusive for therapeutic use, however in the last fifty years, most of the synthesizers are lack of real clinical application. In the last decade, several studies evaluated the popularity abuse of AAS with non-medical use by athletes, especially bodybuilders and elite athletes to improve their athletic performance, gym users or just young people whom just want to improve and get better their physical appearance. In 2002, according to a study done in European Union (EU), 5.7%of the gym users were usually consuming AAS. Although there aren鈥檛 official figures, the equivalent is to 1 million users in EU and 20.000 in Spain.
There is a genuine black market surrounding the sale of these substances were can be easily obtained through internet, in the gyms or in other sources such as drugs of veterinary use, becoming a public health problem in many countries.
The usage of doses more than the physiological ones, leads to side effects. Emphasizing the reproductive and sexual function alterations, aim of this review, as well as the hepatic, metabolic, hematologic, cardio-circulatory, skeletal-muscle and psychological alterations.