the scientific examination of the effects of AAS was that
athletes used massive doses of not one but several different
AAS, taken concurrently. Often the consequences
were huge gains in strength and power and many sideeffects.
Scientists could never obtain ethical approval to
conduct research involving such polypharmacy and
supratherapeutic doses. “Stacking” (taking two or more
AAS concurrently) and “cycling” (commonly a 6–10-
week cycle followed by a drug-free period of a similar
length to reduce side-effects and tolerance) have been
practiced for many years by bodybuilders not subjected
to drug testing and having little respect for either their
bodies or the side-effects [8, 9]. In a review of 500
anonymous AAS users, 78% of whom were non competitive
bodybuilders or non athletes, almost 60% reported
administering at least 1 000 mg of T or its equivalent a
week, with 25% admitting the concomitant use of human
growth hormone (hGH) and insulin for their anabolic
effects. Not surprisingly, 99% reported side-effects
from AAS use [16].