History

Anabolic steroids have been around for thousands of years and can be traced back to ancient grease. In 1930, German scientists discovered the drug in modern pharmaceutical form- albeit accidentally. But however no immediate interest to pursue research into the drugs utility. After nearly 2 decades, the first serious scientific attention to anabolic steroids came up in the 1950's when methandrostenolone or Dianabol was approved. Y the FDA for use in the US in 1958 after it was known to have had promising trials in other countries. Even though steroids where in use during the 60's - 80's, there was still doubt that it had any real effect. In 1996, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) decided to examine the effect of the drug by injecting testosterone enanthate in high doses intramuscularly at the rate of 600 mg/week for 10 weeks. The results gave clear indication of increase in muscle mass and decrease in fat mass among those who took the test as against those who took placebo injections.Meanwhile, the US Congress approved the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990, and accordingly the anabolic steroids are placed into Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).It is not known how the history of anabolic steroid will trace its route in future. For now, as recently as on January 20, 2005, the CSA has been further amended to make way for Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004, vide which both anabolic steroids and pro-hormones are now controlled substances.