The adrenal glands, testes and ovaries naturally produce the hormone. It’s normally converted to testosterone and estradiol in women and men. It’s touted as a way athletes can train harder and recover faster, a key factor in competitive sports. It is now illegal in the United States, and some studies claim that androstenedione does not boost performance or increase testosterone.

Men who take it have diminished sperm production, problems with acne, shrunken testicles and breast enlargement. Women get acne and become more masculine, getting male pattern baldness and a deeper voice. Both sexes have an increase in bad cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol levels.

Human Growth Hormone

An increasingly popular alternative to steroids, human growth hormone (HGH) is a hormone that improves muscle mass and performance. Sometimes referred to as gonadotropin, it is usually taken by injection and available only with a doctor’s prescription.

One of the major side effects of the drug is enlargement of body parts that normally don’t expand. Many major league baseball players who used the drug before it was outlawed by the sport grew larger jaws and foreheads, telltale signs of HGH use.

Among the problems associated with human growth hormone are joint pains, fluid retention, carpal tunnel syndrome, impaired glucose regulation, vision problems, enlarged heart, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. There also may be muscle weakness on occasion.