Anabolic steroids are not legal in the US without a valid prescription. They can have negative short- and long-term health effects and are a Schedule III drug. Doctors can prescribe them for legitimate health reasons, but using them illegally for muscle buildup can lead to health problems. Steroids mimic testosterone and can cause liver damage, infertility, and other health issues. Legal anabolic steroids can be purchased in Mexico, but transporting them back to the US can result in fines or criminal penalties. Doctors prescribe legal anabolic steroids for hormone deficiencies and other medical conditions.
The short answer to the question, as far as the United States is concerned, is that there are no legal anabolic steroids without a valid prescription. Doctors can legally prescribe them for legitimate health reasons, but they are not available without a prescription. Using anabolic steroids illegally may appeal to athletes or bodybuilders who want faster muscle buildup, whether for cosmetic or strength and performance reasons, but there is evidence of negative short- and long-term health effects.
Anabolic steroids, commonly known simply as steroids, affect the body by mimicking testosterone, the male sex hormone. The male sex hormones are called androgens. Testosterone is a potent androgen and is the primary hormone responsible for male sexual characteristics. Testosterone itself is sometimes used as a steroid, although there are several synthetic or derivative counterparts that can be injected, swallowed, or applied topically.
Steroids can be taken illicitly to improve muscle size, strength, stamina, or recovery, all of which can be desirable outcomes for athletes. One reason it may be tempting to use them is that they can reduce the training time usually needed to see results and the recovery time needed after workouts. This use is not supported by doctors. For this reason, there are no legal anabolic steroids in most professional sports organizations around the world.
The dangers of steroid abuse include liver damage, acne, hardening of the arteries, and general cardiovascular damage. Problems specific to men include infertility; damage to the testicles, including a decrease in size; and enlarged breasts. Side effects for women include hair loss, lack of a menstrual cycle, and masculinizing effects such as decreased breast size or increased facial hair. Health problems are the main reason why there are no legal anabolic steroids in many countries.
In the US, anabolic steroids are a Schedule III drug, and possession without a prescription is punishable by fines or possibly a prison sentence if the offense involves trafficking. Steroids are controlled substances in many countries, but mere possession might not be a punishable offense in other countries. Legal anabolic steroids can be purchased in Mexico, and this has led some US citizens to cross the US-Mexico border to obtain them. Anyone who does and transports them back to the United States risks fines or possibly criminal penalties if the amount is large enough.
Doctors prescribe legal anabolic steroids for people who have hormone deficiencies, particularly men whose bodies do not produce enough testosterone for normal growth and development. They may also be used to treat osteoporosis or serious immune diseases, such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The steroid-like supplement androstenedione, commonly called andro, is no longer legal in the US. Supplemental creatine, which does not have steroid-like properties, remains legal.
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