A perspective on anabolics

Authors: Anonymous
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 28, Issue 5, pp 85, May 1980
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: General
Subject Terms: Animal production/wastage, Animal remedies/veterinary medicines, Endocrine/autocrine/paracrine, Growth/development, Treatment/therapy, Veterinary profession
Article class: General Article

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Abstract: The word anabolic is an adjective and used as such it describes the property of a substance to promote in living cells the process of building complex substances from simple ones. Thus anabolic steroids are those which favour synthetic metabolism. The best known of these is testosterone, an androgen. Other anabolic steroids may be distinctly oestrogenic and some anabolic chemicals are not steroid hormones at all. Most anabolic substances are complex in their activity and, depending upon their primary nature, have the potential to produce undesirable physiological and/or behavioural side effects. There is little argument that these agents cause increased growth rate and, according to a recent British report, there is no evidence that they are toxic or adversely affect the animal`s health when given to beef cattle at the recommended dose…

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