Reply #60: corticosteroids and anabolic steroids are way different animals [View All]

I've had corticosteroid injections into my spine and nerve roots to reduce the inflammation from sciatica and herniated disks and I've taken oral steroids for my asthma. It's been a while since I studied pharmacology but there is a lot of medical benefit for corticosteroids, prednisone or Depo-Medrol, etc., in reducing inflammatory responses to treat anything from severe asthma flare ups to arthritis flare ups. I don't think (and I may very well be mistaken) that there's any dispute that corticosteroids are a legitimate tool to aid in healing and not the same as anabolic steroids to pump up and boost performance. With any kind of steroid there are side effects -- some of them pretty serious and even corticosteroids are used sparingly and usually only acutely and not chronically.