Since we are studying muscle, one current health related topic is the abuse of anabolic

steroids. Often, they are abused for athletic motivation.

Read the article and fill in the following:
What are anabolic steroids?
Anabolic steroids are synthetic variations of the __male sex hormone, testosterone____. The
proper term for these compounds is anabolic-androgenic steroids. "Anabolic" refers to muscle
building, and "androgenic" refers to increased male sex characteristics. Some common names
for anabolic steroids are __testosterone_____________.
Health care providers can prescribe steroids to treat hormonal issues, such as __delayed
puberty_____________. Steroids can also treat diseases that cause muscle loss, such as
____cancer and AIDS___________. But some athletes and bodybuilders abuse these drugs to
boost performance or improve their physical appearance.
How do people abuse anabolic steroids?
People who abuse anabolic steroids usually take them orally or inject them into the muscles.
These doses may be ____10-100___________ times higher than doses prescribed to treat
medical conditions. Steroids are also applied to the skin as a ___gel or cream____________.
Some athletes and others who abuse steroids believe that they can avoid unwanted side effects
or maximize the drugs' effects by taking them in ways that include:

 _cycling______________—taking doses for a period of time, stopping for a time,

and then restarting
 _______stacking________—combining two or more different types of steroids
 ______pyramiding_________—slowly increasing the dose or frequency of
abuse, reaching a peak amount, and then gradually tapering off
There is no scientific evidence that any of these practices reduce the harmful medical
consequences of these drugs.

How do anabolic steroids affect the brain?

Anabolic steroids work differently from other drugs of abuse; they do not have the same short-
term effects on the brain. The most important difference is that steroids do not trigger rapid
increases in the brain chemical dopamine, which causes the "high" that drives people to abuse
other substances. However, long-term steroid abuse can act on some of the same brain
pathways and chemicals—including dopamine, serotonin, and opioid systems—that are
affected by other drugs. This may result in a significant effect on mood and behavior.
Short-Term Effects
Abuse of anabolic steroids may lead to mental problems, such as:

 __paranoid(extreme, unreasonable) jealousy_____________

 __extreme irritability and agression (“roid rage”)_____________
 __delusions_____________—false beliefs or ideas
 __impaired judgement_____________
Extreme mood swings can also occur, including " ____roid rage___________"—angry feelings
and behavior that may lead to violence.
What are the other health effects of anabolic steroids?
Aside from mental problems, steroid use commonly causes severe acne. It also causes the body
to swell, especially in the hands and feet.
Long-Term Effects
Anabolic steroid abuse may lead to serious, even permanent, health problems such as:

 _kidney______________ problems or failure

 __liver_____________ damage
 enlarged __heart_____________, high __blood pressure_____________, and
changes in blood __cholesterol_____________, all of which increase the risk of
stroke and heart attack, even in young people
Several other effects are gender- and age-specific:

 In men:
 shrinking ___testicles____________
 decreased _________sperm______ count
 ____baldness___________
 development of ___breasts____________
 increased risk for ________prostate_______ cancer
 In women:
 growth of ___facial____________ hair or excess ___body____________
hair
 male-pattern __baldness_____________
 changes in or stop in the __menstrual cycle_____________
 enlarged ____clitoris___________
 deepened _____voice__________
 In teens:
 stunted ___growth____________ (when high hormone levels from
steroids signal to the body to stop bone growth too early)
 stunted _______height________ (if teens use steroids before their
growth spurt)
Some of these physical changes, such as shrinking sex organs in men, can add to mental side
effects such as mood disorders.
The use of injectable steroids leads to the risk of exposure to blood-borne pathogens (germs).
Read this article and fill in the blanks.

drug-use-viral-infections-hiv-hepatitis-drugfacts-1.pdf Download drug-use-viral-

infections-hiv-hepatitis-drugfacts-1.pdf
What's the relationship between drug use and viral infections? People who engage in __drug
use_______ or high-risk behaviors associated with drug use put themselves at risk for
contracting or transmitting viral infections such as human __immunodeficiency_______ virus
(HIV), acquired immune __deficiency_______ syndrome (AIDS), or __hepatitis_______. This is
because viruses spread through __blood_______ or other body fluids. It happens primarily in
two ways: (1) when people inject drugs and share ___needles______ or other drug equipment
and (2) when drugs impair judgment and people have ____unprotected_____ sex with an
infected partner. This can happen with both men and women.
Drug use and __addiction_______ have been inseparably linked with HIV/AIDS since AIDS was
first identified as a disease. According to the CDC, _one________ in 10 HIV diagnoses occur
among people who inject __drugs_______. In 2016, injection drug use (IDU) contributed to
nearly __20_ percent of recorded HIV cases among men—more than 150,000
_patients________. Among females, __ percent (about 50,000) of HIV cases were attributed to
IDU. Additionally, women who become infected with a __virus_______ can pass it to their baby
during ___pregnancy______, regardless of their drug use. They can also pass HIV to the baby
through ___breastmilk______.
What is HIV/AIDS? HIV stands for _human________ immunodeficiency virus. This virus infects
the body's ___immune______ cells, called CD4 cells (T cells), which are needed to fight
__infections_______. HIV lowers the number of these T cells in the immune system, making it
harder for the body to fight off ___infections______ and disease. Acquired immune deficiency
syndrome (AIDS), is the final stage of an HIV infection when the body is unable to fend off
___disease______. A person with a ___healthy______ immune system has a T cell count
between _500__ and _1600__. Being __infected_______ with HIV does not automatically mean
that it will progress to AIDS. A patient is diagnosed with AIDS when identified with one or more
_____infections____ and a T cell count of less than __200_. More than ___1.1 million______
people in the United States live with an HIV infection, with an estimated 162,500 who are
____unaware_____ of their condition. While there are medicines that help prevent the
___transmission______ and spread of HIV and its progression to AIDS, there is no
__vaccine_______ yet developed for the virus, and there is no cure.
What is __hepatitis_______? Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver and can cause painful
swelling and irritation, most often caused by a __family_______ of viruses: A, B, C, D, and E.
Each has its own way of __spreading_______ to other people and needs its own treatment.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) can spread through sharing
__needles_______ and other ____drug_____ equipment. Infections can also be transmitted
through risky sexual __behaviors_______ linked to drug use, though this is not common with
HCV. There is a ___vaccine______ to prevent HBV infection and medicines to treat it. There are
also medicines to treat HCV __infection_______, but no vaccine. Some people recover from
infection without __treatment_______. Other people need to take __medicine_______ for the
rest of their lives and be monitored for _liver________ failure and __cancer_______.
How does drug use affect symptoms and outcomes of a viral infection? Drug use can worsen
the ___progression______ of HIV and its symptoms, especially in the __brain_______. Studies
show that drugs can make it easier for HIV to enter the _brain________ and cause greater
___nerve______ cell injury and problems with thinking, learning, and ___memory______. Drug
and alcohol use can also directly damage the _liver________, increasing risk for chronic
__liver_______ disease and __cancer_______ among those infected with HBV or HCV.
How can people lessen the __spread_______ of viral infections? People can reduce the risk of
getting or _passing________ on a viral infection by:
Not using __drugs_______. This decreases the chance of engaging in __unsafe_______
behavior, such as sharing drug-use ___equipment______ and having _unprotected________
sex, which can lead to these infections.
___never______ sharing drug equipment. However, if you inject __drugs_______, never share
needles or injection equipment. Many _communities________ have syringe services programs
(SSPs) where you can get free sterile needles and syringes and safely dispose of _used________
ones. They can also refer you to substance use disorder treatment services and help you get
tested for HIV and hepatitis. Contact your local health department or North American
___syringe______ Exchange Network (NASEN) to find an SSP. Also, some
___pharmacies______ may sell needles without a prescription. Read more about safe disposal
in the U.S. Food and Drug _administration________ fact sheet, Be Smart With Sharps.
Getting tested and treated for ___viral______ infection. People who inject drugs should get
___tested______ for HIV, HBV, and HCV. Those who are ___infected______ may look and feel
fine for ___years______ and may not even be aware of the infection. So, testing is needed to
help ___prevent______ the spread of disease—whether or not you are among those most at
risk or part of the general __population_______. Get treatment if needed. Read more about
HIV testing at the HIV.gov webpage, HIV Test Types. Read more about hepatitis in the CDC's fact
sheet, Hepatitis C: Information on Testing and Diagnosis.
Practicing safe sex ___every______ time. People can reduce their chances of transmitting or
__getting_______ HIV, HBV, and HCV by using a __condom_______ every time they have sex.
This is true for those who use drugs and those in the __general_______ population.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV. PrEP is when people who are at ____significant_____
risk for contracting HIV take a daily dose of HIV medications to prevent them from getting the
___infection______. Research has shown that PrEP has been __effective_______ in reducing
the risk of HIV infection in people who ___inject______ drugs.
Post-exposure ____prophylaxis_____ (PEP) for HIV. PEP is when people take
___antiretroviral______ medicines to prevent becoming infected after being potentially
exposed to HIV. According to the CDC, PEP should be used within 72 hours after a recent
possible __exposure_______ and only be used in emergency situations. If you think you’ve
recently been __exposed_______ to HIV during sex, through sharing needles, or sexual assault,
talk to your health care provider or an emergency room doctor about PEP right away. Read
more about PEP in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) fact sheet, PEP 101.
Getting __vaccinated_______ for HBV. If you live in the same household, have sexual contact
with or share needles with a person with HBV, then you should be vaccinated to prevent
___transmission______. Read more about the vaccine on the CDC’s webpage, Hepatitis B In-
short.
Getting treatment for substance use disorder. Talk with a counselor, doctor, or other health
care provider about substance use disorder treatment, including __medications_______ if you
have opioid use disorder. To find a treatment center near you, check out the locator tools on
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (__SAMHSA_______) or
www.hiv.gov, or call 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Read more about drug use disorder treatments in
DrugFacts: Treatment Approaches for Drug Addiction.
Points to Remember
People who engage in ___drug______ use or high-risk __behaviors_______ associated with
drug use put themselves at risk for contracting or transmitting viral infections. This is because
viruses spread through ____blood_____ or other body fluids.
The viral infections of __greatest_______ concern related to drug use are HIV and hepatitis.
People can get or transmit a viral infection when they inject drugs and share needles or other
drug equipment.
Drugs also impair __judgement_______ and can cause people to make risky
__decisions_______, including having unprotected sex.
Women who become infected with a virus can pass it to their baby during
___pregnancy______ or while ___breastfeeding______, whether or not they use drugs.
People can __reduce_______ their risk of getting or passing on a viral infection by not using
drugs, taking PrEP if they are at high risk for ___infection______, getting PEP if you’ve been
exposed to HIV, getting tested for HIV and HCV, ___consistently______ practicing safer sex,
getting the HBV ____vaccine_____, and getting treatment for drug use.