Steroids were first introduced in 1930, they have a variety of purposes in the world of muscle building, in cosmetics and even used therapeutically in medicine, they have attracted great controversy and questions in the media: “Do athletes need to use steroids to become the best in a sport?” Consumption of steroids is not recommended for athletes, the use and distribution of which is prohibited in the United States because they have negative effects on a person's health and public image. Anabolic steroids are similar to the effects of male testosterone, which accumulate cellular tissue in the muscles, they also have androgenic effects which will create unfavorable female or male characteristics, such as hair and vocal cord growth, but medically they can stimulate growth of bones and cure cancer or AIDS. Steroid use has been reported worldwide in professional sports, high school sports, in women, men of all ages and ethnicities. Furthermore, the use of anabolic steroids can be traced back to World War II, German soldiers were said to use them to increase their aggression and stamina, but evidence was lacking. They were used in experiments conducted by the Nazis on prisoners and later used by the Allies to treat Nazi victims. True muscle-building steroids were not introduced until the 1940s, when countries like the Soviet Union and East Germany used them to strengthen Olympic athletes and bodybuilders. In response to the athlete's performance success, a doctor, Dr. John Ziegler, worked to improve the androgenic effects and created a new drug, methandrostenolone, which was approved by the United States in 1958, whose users were burn victims and the elderly. Commonly consumed... middle of paper... steroids have been around for a long time and have turned into a controversial issue in the sports world and among consumers. Numerous athletes have confessed to or been caught taking performance-enhancing drugs to break a record or reach a competitive level. Although I believe it is not worth the risk for athletes as there are many health risks involved which could be irreversible or permanent, and for professionals they face suspension and a negative view from the media. Athletes don't have to depend on steroids to gain muscle mass, but they can do so with high-intensity training and a diet that gives them satisfaction and pride. Some steroids have been shown to help medically and some are prescribed by doctors. Their distribution and use is illegal in the United States and they are listed as controlled substances.