Title:Synthetic Androgens as Designer Supplements
Volume: 13
Issue: 1
Author(s): Jan Felix Joseph and Maria Kristina Parr
Affiliation:
Keywords:
AAS, designer steroids, dietary supplements, performance enhancing drugs.
Abstract: Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are some of the most common performance
enhancing drugs (PED) among society. Despite the broad spectrum of adverse effects and legal
consequences, AAS are illicitly marketed and distributed in many countries. To circumvent existing
laws, the chemical structure of AAS is modified and these designer steroids are sold as nutritional
supplements mainly over the Internet. Several side effects are linked with AAS abuse. Only little is
known about the pharmacological effects and metabolism of unapproved steroids due to the absence
of clinical studies. The large number of designer steroid findings in dietary supplements and the
detection of new compounds combined with legal loopholes for their distribution in many countries
show that stricter regulations and better information policy are needed.