Contrary to popular belief, steroids are not produced by the human body alone and steroids of varying complexity are produced by plants, animals and even primitive organisms like fungi. Although steroids are classified based on their chemical structure, steroids can also be classified on the basis of their function in the human body. There are essentially three major ?sex? steroids produced in the human body: progesterone, estrogen and testosterone, all three are commonly known as hormones but are essentially steroids. The three steroids mentioned above are produced by both males and females in different quantities, and have different functions.

Estrogen

Estrogen is responsible for development of female secondary sexual characters like breasts and plays a vital role in the female estrous cycle. Estrogen is produced by the ovary and is also a major ingredient in contraceptive pills. Like most steroids in the human body, the level of estrogen fluctuates on a daily basis. Since estrogen plays a vital role in female menstruation, estrogen levels fluctuate with the female menstrual cycle. Apart from the major function mentioned above, estrogen is also responsible for regulating fluid balance, accelerating fat build up, increasing bone growth and causing reduction in muscle mass.

As a steroid, estrogen is primarily used in oral contraceptives and in fertility treatment, recent studies have also shown a close correlation between estrogen and certain types of breast cancer (almost 80% of all cancers require the steroid estrogen to perpetuate and grow).

Progesterone

Like estrogen, progesterone is a steroid hormone whose levels fluctuate with the female menstrual cycle. Unlike estrogen, progesterone is not responsible for development of secondary sexual characters but plays a vital role in the female menstrual cycle. Progesterone is responsible for promoting ovulation and also helps the body cope with the muscular cramps and bleeding associated with the menstrual cycle.

Progesterone is primarily used for Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) cycles such as In-vitro Fertilization (IVF). Progesterone is also being used for experimental treatments involving multiple sclerosis and for controlling brain damage. Interestingly, progesterone is produced in small quantities in the male testis also.

Testosterone

Testosterone is a male sex hormone (androgen) that is responsible for development of male secondary sexual characters like body hair, deepening of voice and increased muscle mass. Testosterone is produced in minute quantities in the female ovaries and excessive production of testosterone in the female body also results in development of ?manly? features. Testosterone also helps protect bones from osteoporosis and is the reason why the incidence of osteoporosis is much higher in women.

Testosterone derivates are used for making various performance enhancing drugs and testosterone is also responsible for increasing muscle mass and development of ?male aggression?. Testosterone can be synthesized artificially in virtually unlimited amounts and testosterone derivates are the most common performance enhancing drugs in use.

It is important to remember that the overall impact of the steroid hormone is decided by the quantity of the steroid in the blood stream as all three steroids mentioned above are present in both males and females.

Side effects of anabolic steroids

Apart from causing various unwanted cosmetic side effects like premature balding, gynaecomastia (male breasts) and unwanted body hair, anabolic steroids are responsible for various sexual dysfunctions like impotence, low sperm count and shrunken testicles. Although anabolic steroids are banned for non-medicinal purposes, it is possible to regulate the intake of anabolic steroids without experiencing the above mentioned side effects. Apart from sexual dysfunction, anabolic steroids can also cause various problems like raised blood pressure, excessive aggression and violent tendencies. The increased blood pressure can also cause various cardiac problems and anabolic steroids should be discontinued if a person experiences any of the above mentioned side effects. Anabolic steroids can be administered orally as pills, intramuscularly via injections and also through transdermal patches.

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