Anabolic agents

Abstract

Anabolic agents are a class of drugs on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List, which comprise largely of drugs derived from the endogenous hormone, testosterone, known as anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS). These drugs are synonymous with doping and remain the most commonly detected class of drugs according to statistics produced by WADA-accredited laboratories. This chapter provides an overview of the pharmacology and side effects of AAS including evidence relating to their reputed mechanisms of action as performance and image-enhancing drugs. Landmark events involving the use of anabolic agents are highlighted, as well as new, emerging anabolic agents such as selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs)