Everything is relative - you must look beyond the 'scientific' research and look at the emperical evidence that you can see. AAS have been popular since the 1960's and have only gained in their widespread use. It is unfortunate that some teenagers have even started to use them to enhance size and strength potentially limiting genetic growth potential that occurs naturally at this phase of their lives.
Pro bodybuilders and pro athletes (Football most obviously but also baseball, basketball, boxing, etc.) have been using them for decades and are only getting more brazen in their flaunting their positive effects.
Heres a thought - figure how many users there are out there right now and in the past 30 years. Include the USA, Europe, former Soviet republics and Eastern Europe, Asia, Austrailia, South America, Africa. Were talking about millions at this point, correct. Let's pick a round number like 5 million. Now let's say that 10% had severe reactions - that's 500,000.
If 500,000 people were dying or being severely effected by AAS then there would be a massive outcry for help by the govermnent agencies and the public. But there's not - because there really is not that big of a problem.
HBO Real Sports did a recent segment interviewing several long term users who reported only positive effects. Read Jose Canseco's book and understand just how prevalent it is in our sports and how owners and the press have turned their heads for so long and allowed it to happen.
Boards like this are filled with experienced athletes who know first hand what works and what doesn't. Be smart and learn all you can before deciding what to do and take precautions like liver detox and PCT to limit the potential side effects of whatever you do.
I honestly think it's riskier to get gear than to use it properly. Your greatest risk is getting scammed, busted, or sold counterfeits.
Doctors are always coming out with 'studies' that say basically whatever they want. How many times did we hear about Lyle Alzado and his brain cancer? Only years later when autopsy results were released did that start to acknowledge that AAS use had nothing to do with his disease.
I live on the Left Coast and our governator is a prime example of a user who, years later is still in good health and who has had several children. He did not have the benefit of todays users and medical information to assist with side effects, stacking, PCT, etc.
Be smart - be informed and take scientific 'studies' with a grain of salt. If you believed every scientific 'study' wouldn't we all be huge, ripped, shredded, and hard as a rock from all of the supplement ads in Muscle & Fitness?