According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, excess testosterone taken in the form of anabolic-androgenic steroids can result in a form of drug abuse, similar to other addictive drugs. In 2008, 2.5 percent of 12th-grade boys and 0.6 percent of 12th-grade girls surveyed acknowledged use of anabolic steroids in the past year.
Testicles
Exposure to high levels of testosterone in men causes the testicles to shrink, decreasing sperm count and causing infertility. According to Dr. Michael A. Werner, testosterone replacement therapy, particularly in men who do not need it, can permanently shut down sperm production. For adolescent boys, high doses of testosterone can accelerate the changes of puberty and actually stunt skeletal growth, resulting in shorter stature.
Ovaries and Clitoris
In women, exposure to high levels of testosterone can also negatively affect the reproductive organs. Excess testosterone in women can induce abnormal enlargement of the clitoris and disruption of the cyclic function of the ovaries, causing menstrual irregularities. According to the Mayo Clinic, testosterone therapy may be helpful in restoring sexual drive in women who are not yet post-menopausal, but is never appropriate for women who have a history of breast or uterine cancer because excess testosterone levels may encourage growth of these hormone-responsive cancers.
Breast
Excess testosterone can be converted to estrogen in both men and women. Growth of breast tissue is stimulated when estrogen levels rise. Testosterone overuse in young men can result in irreversible breast tissue enlargement called gynecomastia. Older men, who are receiving testosterone as hormone replacement therapy, may also note growth of breast tissue.
In women, use of testosterone can have the opposite effect resulting in loss of breast tissue to create a more masculine appearance.
Prostate
Aging men are at risk for developing problems associated with prostate growth such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and growth of cancerous cells in the prostate. Decreasing excess levels of testosterone has been used to treat both BPH and prostate cancer, according to Michael A Werner, MD.
Long-term androgen supplementation was studied to see if it increases the risk that men develop new prostate disease. Men with a type of pre-cancerous prostate cells, called prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, who were exposed to testosterone replacement therapy, did not appear to have a greater risk of developing prostate cancer than men who did not have pre-cancerous cells, according to Drs. E.L. Rohden and A. Morgentaler in their paper published in the December 2003 issue of the "Journal of Urology.
References
- NIH: Steroids
- NIDA Research Report: Anabolic Steroids
- Andropause Specialist: NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY
- Pubmed: Testosterone replacement therapy in hypogonadal men at high risk for prostate cancer: results of 1 year of treatment in men with prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia.
- Mayo Clinic: Testosterone therapy in women: Does it boost sex drive?
