anabolic steroid anabolic steroid anabolic steroids, also known as anabolic-androgenic steroids (aas), are synthetic substances that mimic the effects of testosterone, the male sex hormone. they are used to increase muscle size, strength, and performance and are commonly associated with athletic performance enhancement and bodybuilding. anabolic steroids are classified as schedule iii controlled substances in many countries due to their potential for abuse and adverse health effects. this article is about androgens as medications. for androgens as natural hormones, see androgen. anabolic–androgenic steroidsdrug classchemical structure of the natural aas testosterone (androst-4-en-17β-ol-3-one).class identifierssynonymsanabolic steroids; androgensusevariousatc codea14abiological targetandrogen receptorchemical classsteroids; androstanes; estranesclinical datadrugs.comdrug classes