Medications are designed to fight against different diseases attacking the body and bring back the body to normal health conditions. Scientists and researchers are keen on finding the best possible agents to get the maximum health benefits. While doctors advise and monitor the correct and safe use of drugs to treat the indicated medical conditions. One of the many classes of drugs is steroids which involves steroidal agents as drug ingredients.
The steroidal drugs usually consist of corticosteroids molecules that have strong anti-inflammatory action. These drugs are mostly used to treat bone and joint diseases such as rheumatologic diseases. This includes lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and vasculitis which is the inflammation of the body’s vascular system (blood vessels). The most commonly prescribed steroidal medications are cortisone and prednisone.
Here are some of the important health benefits of taking steroidal drugs to treat multiple disease conditions.
1. Prevent Kidney Inflammation
Steroid agents are effective in treating inflammation that poses a threat to damage soft body organs, such as kidneys. Steroidal drugs are prescribed to critical patients as the first choice of life-saving drugs. Steroids are given to a patient suffering from renal failure, renal impairment and to treat other renal diseases caused by vasculitis or lupus. If the steroids are not administered at the right time to treat kidney patients, the last remaining option for them is dialysis or having a kidney transplant.
2. Relieve Arthritis Pain
Steroids also serve as effective pain-relieving medicines. Although steroids are potent drug agents, they provide analgesic effects at lower doses. Steroids are especially given to patients of rheumatoid arthritis suffering from severe pain and stiffness in their joints. Steroids suppliers have dexamethasone drugs that are manufactured using low doses of active ingredients. The dexamethasone medicines are given to a patient with inflamed joints.
3. Anti-irritant in Asthmatic Conditions
Corticosteroid drugs at lower doses can reduce the immune response and pain perception. Similarly, corticosteroid agents can reduce the reflex action against anaphylactic shocks during an asthmatic attack. Steroids show a strong anti-irritant property which is very useful when treating anaphylactic conditions like asthma attacks, allergic reactions, or flared-up hives. Usually, local steroids are prescribed for treating asthma by providing substantial relief to patients.
4. Immunosuppressant Activity
Sometimes, our body’s immune system becomes hyperactive in certain disease conditions. As a result, the immune system instead of fighting for your body starts attacking your body cells and tissues. Using the right dose of corticosteroids can help prevent the immune system from damaging body organs by reducing the inflammatory response. This mainly involves restricting, modifying, and inferring the function of white blood cells which are considered the soldier cells of our body. This mechanism also works during receiving an organ transplant surgery. It effectively reduces the chances of organ rejection or organ damage by the immune system.
5. Performance-Enhancing Actions
Other than corticosteroids, another type of steroids that are used frequently to enhance your body’s condition. These drug agents are called Anabolic steroids. The drugs containing anabolic steroids as active ingredients are common among athletes and gym fans. These drugs can be used to increase the muscle mass of your body in a very short period. Athletes use these steroid agents frequently by calling them performance-enhancing drugs. Many countries including the US have banned the usage of anabolic steroids during athletic competitions.
Yet anabolic steroids are still prescribed by doctors under supervision to promote their safe and fair usage. Anabolic steroids can be given to patients who are suffering from severe weight loss or who are bulimic.