Most of the time, when steroids are mentioned, they are cited as the reason why athletes can run so fast, score so many goals, or win so many fights. By reading this article, coaches, athletes, parents, and teachers will learn the truth about the side effects of anabolic steroids and be able to make their own conscious decisions about them.
Anabolic steroids can lead to premature heart attacks, strokes, liver cancer, kidney failure, and serious mental problems.
What exactly can be the side effects of steroid using?
Inhibition of natural hormones
Inhibition of natural hormones is probably the most common and likely side effect of anabolic steroids. In almost all cases, taking hormones sends a signal to the endocrine system to reduce or stop production. This is because your body wants to remain in a very balanced condition – called “homeostasis.” To maintain homeostasis, your body tries to avoid consuming too much or too little of a particular hormone. In the case of anabolic steroids, the brain signals the testes to slow down or even stop producing testosterone (depending on the type and amount of steroid taken) when there is too much of it in the bloodstream.
Unfortunately, this happens when any hormone is administered to the body, so even if an athlete does not use testosterone but uses other anabolic steroids, the body sends this signal in 99% of cases. Of course, different steroids cause different degrees of inhibition, ranging from a complete stop in the production of endogenous (natural) testosterone to a very mild reduction, during which some natural hormones are still produced and circulating. In almost all cases, the inhibition ends as soon as the steroids are no longer active in the body.
Effects of steroids and liver damage
Liver damage is probably the most sensational of all possible steroid side effects of anabolic steroids. The media often focus on this particular problem as if it occurs with every steroid and every person who takes it. Nothing could be less true. Most anabolic steroids taken orally pass through the liver, which acts as the body’s filtering system. When something passes through the liver, various enzymes break it down and then pass it into the bloodstream. Most research on oral anabolic steroids focuses on the fact that after taking them, there is an increased activity of liver enzymes. But does this necessarily mean liver damage? Of course not. In general, studies focusing on steroid toxicity often use absurd doses or erroneously focus on liver activity instead of damage. The liver acts as a filter for the human body – it is activated when something passes through it.
Effects of steroids on cholesterol levels
Steroids can lower HDL cholesterol and increase LDL cholesterol. HDL (high-density lipoprotein, commonly referred to as “good cholesterol”) helps protect arteries by carrying unused cholesterol to the liver, where it is broken down. On the other hand, LDL has the opposite effect. Some steroids can therefore cause high cholesterol with low HDL and high LDL. Some steroids are naturally very mild on blood lipid levels, while others are extremely aggressive. However, in both cases, it is likely that a return to normal parameters will occur soon after steroid withdrawal.
Gynecomastia (development of breast tissue in men)
The development of gynecomastia or feminization of breast tissue in men is made possible by anabolic steroids. This happens because there is an excess of estrogen in the body in a process called “aromatization,” during which androgens such as testosterone are converted into estrogen. The excess estrogen then goes to and binds to receptors in the breast tissue. This increases the risk that the breast tissue will sometimes require surgical removal. The two most common ways to combat gynecomastia are to use an anti-estrogen such as Clomid (it is recommended to take it after a cycle).
Acne and anabolic steroids
Anabolic steroids can cause the development of acne. However, the degree to which this occurs can be due to a number of different factors, but the most important is the type of steroids and the exact dosage. Increased sebaceous gland activity makes for oily skin, which can combine with bacteria and dead skin ultimately causing pores to clog faster than the body can clear them. This can be prevented, of course, by using only specific steroids, cleansing the skin regularly, and perhaps using a topical anti-androgen.
Steroid craze
It is often claimed that increased aggressiveness is associated with the use of anabolic steroids. Although this is very rare (less than 5%), some steroid users have been found to have significant psychiatric symptoms, including aggression and increased violence, mania, and even psychosis. However, it should be noted that in the studies conducted, there wasn’t a control group, which makes their results spurious at best. We can logically assume that people who are inherently aggressive are simply more likely to use steroids, which further distorts the results of the study. Can steroids increase such aggressiveness? Probably. Can steroids be responsible for antisocial, psychotic, or aggressive behavior? Probably not. There is simply no evidence to support such theories.
Steroids and baldness
The reason why steroids can cause premature hair loss is that the scalp reacts quite strongly to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Some hair loss medications, such as finasteride and dutasteride, can prevent this. Of course, this is only a cosmetic effect and does not cause real health problems.
Cardiovascular problems caused by anabolic steroids
Anabolic steroids like injectable steroids and oral steroids have been linked to cardiovascular problems. In part, this may be due to their effects on blood lipids. But it is partly due to the fact that many steroid users have an enlarged ventricle. This is actually very common among bodybuilders, triathletes, and other athletes, and is more indicative of the effects of strength training on the heart than just steroid use.
Virilization (development of male characteristics in women)
This term refers to the masculinization or development of male sexual characteristics that women can potentially experience as a result of steroid use. This side effect in women is often reversible after steroid withdrawal. Some typical symptoms of virilization include the development of a deeper voice, hirsutism (excessive body hair), enlargement of the external genitalia (clitoral enlargement), and possible male pattern baldness or acne on the face or body. Of course, it all depends on the compounds and doses that are used. This is usually the most undesirable side effect of anabolic steroids because it is very noticeable when a woman uses steroids. Of course, if this starts, the best course of action would be to stop all steroid use immediately. There are several ways to reverse this effect and the most common is to undergo a medical procedure called vocal cord scraping.
Enlargement of the prostate
Again, this is only a possible side effect of anabolic steroids but steroids can potentially cause prostate enlargement. According to most studies, the media claim of possible prostate cancer seems to be completely unfounded. In many cases, the enlargement resolves quickly after anabolic steroids are discontinued. The first phase of prostate growth occurs during puberty as a result of androgen secretion by the testicles. Then, much later in life, a second growth phase often follows. Although initially thought to be the result of dihydrotestosterone in the body, it is more likely that estrogen occurs in conjunction with a small amount of DHT or testosterone. So it’s not hard to imagine that taking steroids could potentially cause this type of prostate enlargement and cause difficulties for steroid users. Usually, a product such as finasteride or dutasteride is used to prevent this problem, with great success.
High blood pressure
This problem is probably the easiest to deal with of all side effects of anabolic steroids. It is very common among athletes taking steroids, who try to get the maximum amount to avoid all aerobic activity. This causes the body to work much harder so the blood can circulate. The typical water and sodium retention caused by some steroids can also contribute to this side effect. If we measure the blood pressure regularly and make sure it is no higher than 140/90, there should be no problems.
Kidney problems
The use of some anabolic steroids can put more strain on the kidneys. Since the kidneys are involved in filtration and excretion processes, they inevitably work harder when a foreign substance is administered. Some steroid users have noticed very dark urine during a cycle, which indicates that the kidneys are overworked to achieve their goal. One of the main culprits seems to be Trenbolone, which causes the user’s urine to become very dark. This problem goes away when a proper amount of water is consumed daily. Some steroids (nandrolone) are even used to help people with kidney problems. So as you can see, they are not as bad as they seem in terms of possible negative kidney-related side effects.
Excessive body hair
As described above in “Masculinization”, steroids usually cause an increase in body hair growth. In an analogous way to puberty, when hair grows in places where it did not previously appear under the influence of unusually high levels of sex hormones, steroids act as a synthetic initiator. At the simplest, the rapid influx of sex hormones stimulates the development of body hair. This side effect occurs in both men and women and hair growth can occur on any part of the body except the head (where the opposite effect is sometimes observed due to the high number of DHT receptors). In women, hair growth tends to increase in typically male areas of the body, such as the face and back, but also on the legs, underarms, pubic area, arms, torso, hands or joints, and feet.
Water retention and bloating
Flatulence, also known as excessive water retention, is a very likely side effect of anabolic steroids. In general, short-esterosterone (testosterone propionate) and DHT-derived steroids (with the exception of Dianabol) do not cause significant bloating. It is true that estrogen is necessary for optimal muscle development, which often results in swelling as an acceptable side effect of off-season training. There are training periods when athletes and bodybuilders are less concerned about bloating and less prone to it. However, when seconds count, success is measured in centimeters, and the desire to present oneself muscular is of paramount importance, bloat is often compensated for in various ways.
First, the aforementioned propensity for bloating can be avoided by using steroids and food sources. Second, when it comes to steroid use, AI and SERMs (anti-estrogens, which we have already discussed) are used to reduce estrogen activity and support a slim figure, free of bloating. The third weapon against bloating which is used by the athlete is diuretics, which flush excess fluids from the body.
Infertility in men and women
Temporary infertility is a common side effect of anabolic steroids in men and women. In fact, anabolic steroids are so effective in this regard that they have been studied and approved by the World Health Organization as a contraceptive option for men.
Steroids do this by interfering with various hormones in women that enhance the ability to have regular menstrual cycles. In men, steroids reduce folliculotropic hormone (FSH) levels to a level where normal sperm production is not possible. This does not mean that no one gets pregnant during a cycle, quite the contrary. Steroid-induced infertility is, of course, only temporary and disappears after a post-cyclical cycle. This reversal is usually accelerated by post-cycle therapy, which often includes the use of SERMs such as Nolvadex or Clomid.
Summary: effects of steroids
Anabolic-androgenic steroids are used in medicine to treat various conditions. They enable faster recovery from injury, increase fatless body mass and muscle strength. However, their use is also associated with the risk of side effects. Among the most common are temporary inhibition of the body’s own production of sex hormones, lipid disturbances, and sodium retention leading to edema.
Women may experience masculinization, while men may experience gynecomastia, acne, and male pattern baldness. Liver, kidney, and cardiovascular disorders are also possible. Most side effects of anabolic steroids resolve when treatment is discontinued. However, irresponsible and prolonged use of anabolic steroids carries the risk of irreversible health complications.
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