There is a large variety of steroids that are being used by lots of people for the purposes of bodybuilding. Steroids have not been restricted to those in the bodybuilding arena alone; lots of different athletes have been using steroids to boost their performance levels and to enhance muscle growth and repair for over 90 years. Most athletes who use steroids for non-medicinal purposes are mainly those who are engaged in various power sports and intense athletic sports.

Steroids are therefore consumed by athletes who compete in track and field events, those who are in power lifting, wrestling, football, soccer, rugby and baseball. There is a prevalent perception that steroids can be used to accumulate more muscle rapidly, increase the body bulk and therefore body strength, and in effect improve the general competitiveness of the individual. There are up to 3 million athletes in the United States alone who have or are still using steroids.

Research into the use of steroids has revealed that as much as 2% of budding athletes between ages 10 and 14 have had access and actually used steroids. As much as 5-10% of high school athletes are currently using steroids while the figure for athletes in college stands at 5%. All these young people are using steroids despite the fact that these substances are classified as class III drugs and banned by law.

Administrative and legal bottlenecks have served to stifle attempts to establish the actual numbers of professional and Olympic athletes who are on steroids. However, a number of athletes, some of who have won Olympic gold medals have been striped of their titles and handed long bans or life bans from their respective sports. There are two prominent incidences of the sort involving sprinters Ben Johnson and Marion Jones. Johnson the Canadian sprinter was stripped of the 100m gold medal in the Seoul games of 1988. Marion Jones was stripped of individual and team honors which she had won in the 2004 Athens games.

The use of steroids for the purposes of boosting athletic capabilities is an unethical practice that is firmly prohibited by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), the Military services and other sport governing bodies.

There are many types of steroids that have been developed to suit the requirements of different athletes. A sprinter may need to use a steroid that will enhance his or her speed and endurance. This requirement is not necessary for the power-lifter. He or she will require a steroid that will provide extra strength required to lift heavier weights for longer training periods.

Anabolic steroids as they are otherwise known are engineered to give the users' bodies an increased ability to grow and bulk muscle groups faster. The muscles are also able to get repaired faster in case of tears and injuries. Further steroids of different types have been engineered to give the desired effects in selected parts of the body. To name a few steroids we can list Android, Dianabol, Proviron, Danabol and Primonabol-Depot.