When thinking of PEDs, most people put them all under the umbrella of steroids. But in reality, there’s a lot more to it than that. Speaking with Thomas O’Connor, M.D., aka the “Anabolic Doc,” we compiled a list of some of the most common PEDs and related terms so you’re more informed about what some of these drugs are. While he doesn’t advocate the use of these drugs, he does understand his responsibility to the public. “We have to educate people,” O’Connor told Muscle & Fitness. Here is a rundown of some of the more notable PEDs and their uses.
For more information, check out our glossary of the major anabolic steroids here, complete with uses, side effects, and cycling information.
A List of Performance Enhancing Drugs and Their Definitions
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Peter Dazeley / Getty
HCG
Human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone often used in post-cycle therapy to normalize hormone levels and stimulate testosterone production.
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Zairi Azmal Bin Burham / EyeEm / Getty
Insulin
Used by diabetics but co-opted by bodybuilders to gain bulk and increase stamina, sometimes as part of a “kitchen sink” stack of steroids, insulin, and HGH. “People take insulin before and after training,” O’Connor says. “I had one patient who used to steal it from his grandmother.” Mild side effects include bloating, but misuse of insulin can also lead to heart problems and hypoglycemic shock, which can be fatal.
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JW LTD / Getty
Prohormones
Compounds that convert to anabolic hormones—the most well-known being androstenedione, which was found in baseball player Mark McGwire’s locker during his record 1998 home run hitting season. These compounds were made illegal under the Designer Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2014. “Your body converts it to a steroid in your liver,” O’Connor says. “They can actually be more devastating than actual steroids.”
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Yoshiyoshi Hirokawa / Getty
SARMS
Selective androgen receptor modulators, or non-steroidal drugs that grow muscle. A recent study by the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that many of these products contain unapproved substances, hormones, or even steroids.
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Douglas Sacha/Getty
Synthol
This is not a steroid but rather an oil injected into muscles to increase their size or change the shape of the muscle. Synthol is technically legal, but some reports have shown that it can have permanent deforming effects on muscles, as well as a number of other side effects, ranging from skin ruptures to infection to nerve damage.
Human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone often used in post-cycle therapy to normalize hormone levels and stimulate testosterone production.
Insulin
Used by diabetics but co-opted by bodybuilders to gain bulk and increase stamina, sometimes as part of a “kitchen sink” stack of steroids, insulin, and HGH. “People take insulin before and after training,” O’Connor says. “I had one patient who used to steal it from his grandmother.” Mild side effects include bloating, but misuse of insulin can also lead to heart problems and hypoglycemic shock, which can be fatal.
Prohormones
Compounds that convert to anabolic hormones—the most well-known being androstenedione, which was found in baseball player Mark McGwire’s locker during his record 1998 home run hitting season. These compounds were made illegal under the Designer Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2014. “Your body converts it to a steroid in your liver,” O’Connor says. “They can actually be more devastating than actual steroids.”
SARMS
Selective androgen receptor modulators, or non-steroidal drugs that grow muscle. A recent study by the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that many of these products contain unapproved substances, hormones, or even steroids.
Synthol
This is not a steroid but rather an oil injected into muscles to increase their size or change the shape of the muscle. Synthol is technically legal, but some reports have shown that it can have permanent deforming effects on muscles, as well as a number of other side effects, ranging from skin ruptures to infection to nerve damage.
