Tetrahydrogestrinone is a specially designed anabolic steroid
that has been tweaked by chemists to make it undetectable under
normal testing.
A high-profile coach sent a syringe of THG to the United
States Anti-Doping Agency who have now developed a test
for the previously undetectable drug.
Anabolic steroids stimulate the muscle and bone cells to make
new protein.
They increase muscle strength and encourage new muscle
growth, duplicating the effects of the male sex hormone
testosterone, thereby allowing the athlete to train harder for
longer periods of time.
They increase aggression and competitiveness, enhancing
muscle strength, size and power (the androgenic effect).
Anabolic steroids are legally used in the medical
profession for conditions such as osteoporosis, some forms of
anemia (because they stimulate blood cell production) and to
promote the recovery process after major surgery and serious
illness.
There is little evidence to suggest that using anabolic
steroids alone promotes an increase in muscle strength in adult
males with development due to appropriate diet and exercise.
Because anabolic steroids mimic hormones already in the
body, they can create an imbalance with the normal hormone
balance.
This can lead to side effects such as development of male
features in women, loss of fertility, impotence, acne and kidney
damage.
-- Reuters
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