A type of organic compound that includes hormones like testosterone and compounds used in medicine to reduce inflammation or help muscles grow.
From 'ster-' (from sterol, a type of alcohol found in plants and animals) + '-oid' (meaning resembling). The term emerged in the early 20th century as chemists discovered these ring-structured molecules that resembled cholesterol.
Steroids are everywhere in nature—your body makes them naturally to regulate everything from your mood to your immune system—but athletes who use synthetic versions can gain unfair advantages because the extra hormones make muscles grow faster than normal training ever could.
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