History of steroids

Historical background of steroids

Anabolic steroids are drugs with similar effects to testosterone used to increase the muscle mass and strength and to enhance physical performance. The first evidence of anabolic steroids comes from 1930’s when testosterone was first synthesized in scientific purposes. As testosterone possesses performance-enhancing properties, it is the first anabolic steroid. The first use of the synthesized testosterone was in 1936 in an experiment. The results showed that the synthetic compound could increase the level of testosterone. As the first experiments were carried out on animals, the next tests were carried out in men. Clinical trials involving injections of testosterone propionate and oral doses of methyltestosterone began in 1937. All these trials and studies put the basis of the modern field of endocrinology. In the later period, the pharmaceutical companies Ciba and Searle started to synthesize over a thousand different testosterone derivatives. The most obvious attempts of creating substances with strength enhancing effects date from 1950, when more than one thousand testosterone, nandrolone and dihydrotestosterone analogues have been produced. Even though testosterone was showing good results at that time, the pharmaceutical company wanted to synthesize substances comparable or even better than testosterone. This is the reason in 1956, the pharmaceutical company Ciba created the steroid methandrostenolone, marketed under the Dianabol name. It came in form of pink tablets and has become popular very quick, being used in many weightlifters’ training program. During the 1960’s many physicians from United States started to study better the results on treatment of short stature in children with Turner Disease syndrome as well as on athletes taking them for use in sports. The first studies on the effect of steroids showed that no particular results were obtained during the use of steroids and that there is no athletic benefit whatsoever. Due to the obtained results, the International Olympic Council banned the use of anabolic steroids in 1967. Also, most of major sporting organizations have banned the use of steroids by the mid 1970’s. Despite the fact that steroids were introduced in the act of controlled substances, these became widely available and even in 1990’s used heavily by the medical community to treat AIDS and cancer patients. Since 2000’s anabolic steroids are very popular with an increased rate of using them during the training’s programs. Despite the fact that they are introduced in the Substance Controlled Act, anabolic steroids are used by the athletes in sports in limited quantities, and are also used in clinical purposes for treatment of short stature in children with Turner Disease syndrome and others.

Evolution of steroids in time

·        1930’s- testosterone was first synthesized;

·        1936 - the first use of synthesized testosterone in a trial;

·     1950’s - more than a thousand different testosterone derivatives, nandrolone and dihydrotestosterone have been produced;

·        1956- methandrostenolone was created by the pharmaceutical company Ciba;

·        1960’s- it is observed an increased attention to steroids and many research studies have been conducted in this sense.

·        1970’s- major sporting organizations including the International Olympic Council have banned the use of anabolic steroids in sports.

·        1990’s- anabolic steroids became widely available and used by the medical community to treat AIDS and cancer patients.

·        2000’s- anabolic steroids became very popular with an increased rate of usage among athletes and not only.