Anabolic Androgen Steroids (AAS)

Winstrol®, Deca-Durabolin®, Dianabol®, Oxandrin®, Anavar® etc.

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Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are synthetically produced active ingredients with anabolic (building) and androgenic (masculinizing) properties. They increase skeletal muscle development, promote physical performance, and reduce body fat. AAS include pharmaceutical drugs that have been developed for use in humans or are still in the clinical testing phase, as well as products from veterinary medicine and synthetic designer substances that have not yet been tested in humans.

Medically, testosterone and other AAS are taken as drugs for hypogonadism. This is an underfunction of the gonads and testicles of the male, which leads to a restriction of testosterone production and the development into a male body (feminization process). Other possible medical applications are anorexia (against loss of appetite), cachexia (against weight loss), osteoporosis (against bone loss) or muscular dystrophies (against muscle atrophy).

In (amateur) sports, AAS are used to enhance performance and as an illegal doping agent. In professional sports, the intake and dosage of AAS are controlled to reduce the risk of a positive doping test.

The substances promote the regenerative capacity of the human body, i.e. it can be trained in shorter intervals. Another possible reason for taking them is to increase physical attractiveness and sexual performance.

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In muscle training, a distinction is made between two phases: muscle building (bulking) and muscle definition (cutting). For both phases, there are different AAS that are used specifically. However, there are also so-called "allrounder" AAS, which are used for both phases. In addition, dehydrating and fat-burning drugs are used. These are taken as "additives" in the build-up and definition phase. These substances cause the muscles to become particularly prominent and visible due to the loss of body water. These additives are diuretics (synthetic dehydrating substances) and sympathomimetics or thyroid hormones (fat-burning substances).

Human growth hormones such as insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), insulin, sympathomimetics (mainly clenbuterol), and newly selective androgen receptor modulators are also frequently used. AAS only work in the body as long as they are taken. As soon as AAS are discontinued, a large part of the muscle mass disappears.

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