Since the synthesis of the hormone testosterone in the 1930s, steroids have been put into use by physicians for a great many purposes and have achieved varying degrees of success in each of these cases.Stimulation of the Bone Marrow For many decades steroids were the answer to hypoplasmic anemia and more so the aplastic type of anemia therapy which was as a result of leukemia or even kidney failure. These steroids have been replaced largely by other hormones, synthetic proteins that selectively stimulate the growth blood cells.Stimulation of growthAnabolic steroids are used in children to treat growth failure. The availability of a synthetic hormone for growth which has literally very few side effects has made sure this is a secondary resort.Appetite Stimulation and Puberty InductionSteroids also stimulate appetite as well as the preservation and the increase in muscular mass. Steroids have also become the haven for those who have been chronically wasted by conditions such as AIDS or Cancer. Steroids have been given to dozens of boys who are distressed about the acute delay of their puberty. Basically, testosterone has become almost the only androgen that is literally used for this use and has been known to increase the weight, height as well in boys who have a delayed puberty.Male ContraceptivesThe steroid Testosterone Enanthate is mostly used as a contraceptive for males and it is a belief that in future it will be a more safe, reversible and reliable male contraceptive. Also steroids have been known to increase lean body masses and also lead to prevent weak bones in elderly men. For men with below-normal levels of testosterone, steroids have of late been effective as hormonal replacements and are also equally effective in the improvement of libido for old males.In addition, the notion that one was born in the wrong gender is quite common in every society. Steroids have been producing such good results, for instance they produce secondary characteristics of the male gender such as facial hair, deeper voice, bone and muscular mass.The widening bracket of usersIn the United States alone, steroid users now tend to be mostly heterosexual males with an average age of twenty-five. This category of users now makes a big percentage of the noncompetitive bodybuilders as well as the non-athletic fraternity. The new category of users has resorted to using steroids for cosmetic purposes. Steroids have been used by males and females in many professional sports from bodybuilding, ball games, and martial arts to tennis, basically to attain a competitive advantage as well as assisting in fast recovery from an injury, as much as it has been prohibited by rules of all sports governing bodies.Male students in high schools and universities have been known to use more steroids, more frequently than female high school and college students. This is again reflected in the number of those who participate in different sports while making use of steroids.