Anabolic steroids are synthetically derived and are produced to mimic the male sex hormone testosterone. Anabolic steroids are used in the bodybuilding world to enhance strength, endurance as well as power. 

 

UK Steroid Law: In the UK steroids are classed as a class C drug; therefore, it is legal to possess steroids for personal use as long as they are in medicinal form but illegal to manufacture and distribute. With regards to the legality of possessing steroids for personal use; they are illegal if of a counterfeit nature or not in medicinal form. 

 

This possess a problem in that it is hard to purchase steroids, as they are illegal to sell in the UK, that are not counterfeit in other countries. They are legal however, if they are used with a prescription from ones doctor. ????

 

International Steroid Law: Steroids are illegal in most countries but depending on the country the laws differ. For example in Mexico, Thailand and India it is legal to manufacture, distribute and sell steroids; however, in the Italy, Canada and USA among others it is illegal to manufacture, sell and possess any type of steroid. 

 

The IOC, WADA, NFL, NCAA and many other professional sporting leagues all have prohibited as well as banned the use of any steroid in sports. The reasons for this is that they give the user an unfair advantage over others as well as because of the adverse affects associated with steroid use. These sporting leagues use urine tests regularly to test for any illegal substance in an athletes body; and if an athlete is found guilty of doping they will risk a ban, fine and stripping of medals. 

 

Legal Steroids: Prohormones are substances that are precursors to a hormone and usually does not have a hormonal effect by itself. The purpose of a prohormone is to improve the strength of the hormone that already resides in the body. Therefore a prohomrone is a nutritional supplement that is very strong without becoming illegal. Prohormones are being used by athletes and bodybuilders and have been used for the last 2 decades. Many of these are legal to manufacture as well as sell and possess and they eliminate the problems of the law associated with anabolic steroids. A standard prohormone is intended to be a precursor of an anabolic steroid like testosterone. Prohormones have the same side effects as steroids and include acne, hair loss, breast tissue enlargement, and prostate swelling. 

 

Designer steroids: Designer steroids are similar to prohormones. There is debate as to whether designer steroids are better than prohormones and some seem to think that they are not as good as they claim to be. They are known as pro-steroid which means that it is an anabolic substance that has not yet been characterised as a controlled substance. Designer steroids are legal and do not contain any illegal substances. Most people have heard of THG, which was distributed by BALCO labs, and was not considered a controlled substance or an AAS by the law at that time. It was said to have been very similar to gestrinoone, which was banned by the IOC. Today, the FDA has stated that THG meet the definition and criteria of a banned drug and therefore it cannot be sold for human means anymore. 

 

List of Illegal Steroids: Here is a list of popular illegal steroids: Dianabol, Winstrol, Deca-Durabolin, Boldabol, Equipoose, Sustanon 100, Sustanon-250, Roxilon, Sternabol, Anadrol and Anavar among many others.