Sex hormones and related drugs

See also individual agents and Hormonal contraceptives—male 

While some anabolic steroids are still available in the legitimate trade, others are manufactured and distributed illegally, and the contents and potency of these are unknown some adverse effects could be due to impurities or content variation. 

When androgen therapy is used in postmenopausal women who complain of poor libido, poor energy, or a feeling of malaise (2), it should be given in association with estrogens, because of its adverse effects on serum lipids. 

Anabolic steroids are also still used in refractory anemias, although with recombinant human erythropoietin now widely available they appear to be seen mainly as a means of increasing the response to erythropoietin in highly resistant cases combination treatment with erythropoietin, a glucocorticoid, and nandrolone has also been recommended for treating myelodysplastic syndromes (13). Again, in such exceptional situations the risks of anabolic steroids have to be accepted. 

The use of intramuscular testosterone + oral desogestrel for hormonal contraception in men is discussed in a separate monograph (Hormonal contraceptives—male). 

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