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February 14th, 2025
Steroid addiction
What are steroids?
When someone says they’re ‘on steroids,’ it can often stir immediate concern. Many think of steroids purely in the context of bodybuilding or athletic enhancement, but there’s a wider world of steroids used for various medical purposes. Understanding the different types of steroids is crucial in distinguishing between beneficial, medically-supervised uses and potentially concerning unsupervised uses.
Here’s information on the main types of steroids and their primary medical applications:
Type of Steroid | Medical Usage |
Corticosteroids | Used to reduce inflammation and suppress immune response; commonly prescribed for asthma, arthritis, lupus and other autoimmune conditions. |
Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids (AAS) | Primarily used to treat hormone-related issues, like delayed puberty, muscle loss from diseases like cancer or testosterone deficiency. They’re sometimes misused for muscle growth and athletic performance enhancement. |
Estrogens and Progestogens | These steroids are often used in hormone replacement therapy (HRT), birth control pills and menopausal symptom management. They regulate menstrual cycles and manage menopausal changes. |
Mineralocorticoids | Essential for maintaining salt and water balance in the body; used to treat conditions like Addison’s disease, where the body doesn’t produce enough adrenal hormones. |
Glucocorticoids | These steroids aid in reducing inflammation, relieving pain and treating allergic reactions. Common in asthma inhalers, allergy treatments and medications for autoimmune diseases. |
Progestins | Often used to treat menstrual disorders, abnormal uterine bleeding and endometriosis. Also found in hormonal contraceptives. |