Anabolic Androgenic Steroids Research PaperAnabolic androgenic steroids are a group of hormones, which includes the natural male hormone, testosterone, and a number of synthetic compounds. “Anabolic” refers to building muscle, while “androgenic” refers to enhancing male characteristics. The anabolic effects are basically muscle growth. Androgenic effects produce secondary male sexual characteristics such as facial and body hair, deepening of the voice, and so on. In the 1950s scientists were trying to isolate the muscle-building properties without the masculinizing effects. This led to the development of synthetic anabolic steroids. The word steroid simply means a class of "drugs". Steroids are hormones synthesized from cholesterol. All steroids have a four-ring carbon structure. All steroids share carbon atom number 17. The number of carbon atoms attached to atom number 17 determines differences in the types of steroids and how the hydrogen, oxygen, and hydroxyl groups are attached ("Steroid Abuse anabolic" 52). People use steroids for many reasons. Some are increase muscle mass, increase strength, increase endurance, increase recovery rate, increase aggression, improve performance in sports, improve performance at work, increase muscle definition and leanness, maintain appearance with age and improve appearance. Different types of people use steroids. Athletes make up the largest group. These now include a larger number of amateur athletes. Aesthetes constitute the next group. These are male and female models who use drugs for aesthetic reasons. Third, "there are individuals who work in places where fights are common. Such as police officers, bouncers and prison guards... at the heart of the paper... program: Preventing drug use and promoting healthy behaviors . Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. 2000.Gruber, AJ, and Pope, HG, Jr. Comprehensive Psychiatry: Compulsive Weightlifting and Anabolic Drug Abuse Among Female Rape Victims" Editorial. Drugs in Sports Feb.1992: 4-9.Taylor, W.N. Anabolic Steroids and the Athlete. Jefferson, NC: McFarland& Co., 1982. US Department of Health and Human Services. National Institute on DrugAbuse, Research Report: Anabolic Steroid Abuse. New York: Jefferson, 2000. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1999.