Anabolic-androgenic steroid preparations used for doping
Commercially available anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) products used for doping include prescription pharmaceutical testosterone preparations (multiple testosterone ester formulations) and non-testosterone AASs such as stanozolol, methandrostenolone, oxandrolone, nandrolone esters, boldenone, trenbolone, and oxymetholone. DEA “Steroids” (US law-enforcement drug factsheet)
Many of these agents are also explicitly prohibited in sport as “Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (AAS)” under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List. WADA Prohibited List (AAS category and examples)
Composition of commonly misused AAS products
AAS products used for doping typically contain one of the following active ingredients (or closely related anabolic androgenic steroid analogs):
- Testosterone esters (active moiety: testosterone; esterified to modify pharmacokinetics), such as testosterone cypionate, testosterone enanthate, testosterone propionate, testosterone undecanoate (formulations commonly encountered in injectable “depot” products and compounded offerings). DEA “Steroids” (examples including testosterone cypionate and other testosterone ester formulations)
- Nandrolone esters (active moiety: nandrolone/19-nortestosterone; esterified), such as nandrolone decanoate. DEA “Steroids” (examples including nandrolone)
- Stanozolol (an orally bioavailable synthetic AAS; commonly encountered as oral tablets). DEA “Steroids” (includes stanozolol)
- Methandrostenolone (methandienone; oral AAS), commonly encountered as oral tablets. DEA “Steroids” (includes methandrostenolone)
- Oxandrolone (oral AAS). DEA “Steroids” (includes oxandrolone)
- Oxymetholone (oral AAS). DEA “Steroids” (includes oxymetholone)
- Boldenone (injectable AAS; historically used in veterinary contexts but widely encountered for doping). DEA “Steroids” (includes boldenone)
- Trenbolone (injectable AAS; also encountered via veterinary supply chains). DEA “Steroids” (includes trenbolone)
Regulatory status in the United States (controlled-substance status and sport rules)
- Controlled-substance classification: In the United States, anabolic steroids are Schedule III controlled substances under the Controlled Substances Act. DEA “Drug Scheduling” (includes anabolic steroids as Schedule III)
- Sport regulation: Under WADA, AAS are prohibited at all times (in- and out-of-competition) within the “Anabolic Androgenic Steroids” category. WADA Prohibited List
- Examples of enforcement-relevant agents: DEA notes several AAS as “most commonly encountered” by law enforcement, including testosterone, trenbolone, oxymetholone, methandrostenolone, nandrolone, stanozolol, boldenone, and oxandrolone. DEA “Steroids”
Associated health risks of AAS used for doping
AAS use (including non-medical supraphysiologic dosing) is associated with adverse effects across multiple organ systems, including cardiovascular, psychiatric, hepatic, endocrine, renal, infectious, metabolic, neurologic, and musculoskeletal harms. [1]
Cardiovascular and metabolic risks
- AAS use is associated with adverse effects on cardiovascular risk markers and cardiovascular events, including coronary artery disease, stroke, and heart attacks. DEA “Steroids” (health consequences)
- Evidence from human studies indicates impaired vascular function among young users of anabolic-androgenic steroids. [2]
Hepatic and biliary risks
- Liver injury can occur after androgenic/anabolic steroid exposure, including transient liver enzyme elevations and syndromes such as cholestatic hepatitis and other steroid-associated liver toxicities. [3]
- Recent reviews describe a broad spectrum of AAS-associated liver injury mechanisms and clinical presentations. [4]
Psychiatric risks
- AAS misuse has been associated with psychiatric harms, including aggression-related behavior and mood-related changes. [1]
- Experimental evidence syntheses support increased aggression with anabolic-androgenic steroid administration in healthy males. [5]
Endocrine and reproductive risks
- AAS exposure can suppress endogenous gonadal function, with downstream effects on testosterone production and fertility risk patterns, consistent with androgen feedback physiology and observed clinical harms summarized in endocrine literature on performance-enhancing drugs. [1]
Clinical-relevance note on “composition” versus “doping mixtures”
- In doping contexts, products may deviate from labeled composition due to adulteration, incorrect dosing, contamination, and mixing of multiple AAS agents into custom vials. DEA “Steroids” (adulteration concerns described in law-enforcement context)