Two Studies Find Promising Usage for Anabolic Steroids

Anabolic steroids, most often in the news for their illegal use in sports, have been found to help dialysis patients and those with AIDS-related weight loss, according to two studies published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Assn.

One report from San Francisco General Hospital found that 29 kidney dialysis patients given the steroid nandrolone decanoate over six months gained an average of 5.7 pounds more than similar patients who were given an inert placebo. In a second report, researchers at UC Berkeley said the anabolic steroid oxandrolone along with exercise programs produced significantly greater increases in lean tissue and muscle strength in men suffering weight loss associated with HIV infection.

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Compiled by Times medical writer Thomas H. Maugh II