Indications for therapeutic administration of androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS) are:
hypogonadism, osteopenia-fractures, muscle wasting-cachexia syndrome associated with HIV infection (AIDS), burn injury, severe aplastic anemia and other myelodysplastic syndromes, the congenital angioedema and sarcopenia in the elderly.
AAS have beneficial effects on bone mineral density, through direct interaction with osteoblasts and by enhancing calcium reabsorption in renal tubules leading to calcium retention.
There are also reports of positive effects on fracture healing, on lubrication of synovial cavities, as well as on nitrogen balance in polytrauma patients.
Some AAS can increase erythropoietin (EPO) production from the kidneys, iron absorption and also stimulate the production of red cells from bone marrow, improving erythropoiesis process.
Other AAS are used to reverse wasting complications associated with HIV, by improving protein synthesis and restoration of lean body mass.
It is important to note that, testosterone replacement therapy has beneficial effect in mood and cognitive function in hypogonadal men and patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
In medicine, performance enhancing drugs are used for therapeutic purposes in the following conditions:
– Anastorzol, letrozol, exemestane (aromatase inhibitors): breast cancer
– Tamoxifen citrate (SERM): breast cancer
– Clomiphen citrate (SERM): promotion of ovarian rupture and ovulation phase
– Fluoxymesterone (androgen): advanced breast cancer
– Oxymetholone (anabolic): severe aplastic anemia, wasting complications associated with HIV
– Stanozolol (anabolic): angioedema, muscular dystrophy
– Methandrostenolone (anabolic): post traumatic syndrome
– Oxandrolone (anabolic): delayed puberty, AIDS
– Methenolone enanthate (anabolic): cachexia, muscle weakness
– Nandrolone undecaonate (anabolic): osteoporosis and complications (fractures)
– Drostanolone propionate (anabolic-androgenic): advanced inoperable breast cancer
– Testosterone enanthate/cypionate/undecaonate/propionate (androgen): hypogonadism (primary, secondary, late onset hypogonadism), Kleinefelter syndrome, muscular dystrophy
– Mesterolone (androgen): erectile dysfunction, depression
– Ephedrine HCL (vasoconstrictor): allergic rhinitis
– Clenbuterol HCL (b-2 agonist, bronchodilator): asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
– Somatropin-hGH (growth hormone): growth hormone deficiency (primary and secondary), short stature at birth with no catch-up growth, AIDS induced cachexia
– Insulin: insulin dependent diabetes mellitus I (DM 1)
– Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG): cryptorchidism
– Fourosemide (diuretic): chronic heart failure, hypertension
– Erythropoietin (EPO): anemia in chronic renal failure (dialysis), neoplasms
– Thyroxine/T4, triodothyronine/T3 (thyroid hormones): hypothyroidism, Hashimoto thyroiditis
– Aminoglutethimide (adrenal steroid-cortisol inhibitor): Cushing’s syndrome
– Metformin: diabetes mellitus II (DM 2), polycystic ovary syndrome