Prolonged use of high-dosage anabolic steroids to improve sports performance and athletic abilities can lead to serious side effects. Steroids can impact the testes and mammary glands in males. For females, steroid use affects the menstrual cycle and facial hair. Men and women who use steroids incur changes in blood cholesterol, changes in liver tissue and changes in the heart.
Reproductive Changes in Males
Males who take steroids can experience infertility, lower sperm concentrations and reduced testicular size. These issues are reversible within several months of discontinued use. However, the use of steroids by a man can lead to the excessive development of his mammary glands, which is usually irreversible. The mammary glands may also begin to secret milk.
Risks for Females
Females using anabolic steroids can experience an unusual amount of body and facial hair growth. Generally irreversible changes include a reduction in the size of breasts, enlargement of the clitoris and the voice will deepen. The changes to a woman's reproductive system may affect the development of mature ovum, ovulation and the menstrual cycle.
Life-Threatening Disease
Both men and women on steroids can experience long-term damage to the liver. If you use steroids, you are ingesting excess toxins that your liver must work to process. Steroid use causes the liver to develop blood-filled lesions, a condition known as peliosis hepatitis. In very extreme cases, the liver will fail and the person will die.
Blood Cholesterol
Anabolic steroids will reduce the level of HDL, commonly known as good cholesterol, in the body. HDL helps to remove cholesterol from the bloodstream. A constantly low level of HDL in the blood increases a person's risk of developing coronary artery disease.
Heart Problems
The structure of the heart can be changed or damaged by steroids. Steroid use may also lead to increased plaque build-up, which can cause hardening of the arteries and high blood pressure. All of these conditions increase the risk of heart attack.
Other Side Effects
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) reports that steroid use can lead to a change in mood and behavior, including increased aggression, hyperactivity and irritability. A person's sexual drive can increase or decrease as well. ACSM advises that steroid use in young people can cause stunted growth. Steroid users may also notice extreme acne and a receding hairline.
References
- "Exercise Physiology, Energy, Nutrition &Human Performance;" Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2007
- ACSM: The Use of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids in Sports
