Athletes take anabolic steroids, which act on the body's testosterone system, to increase muscle strength and decrease recovery time. Most sports agencies have banned these performance-enhancing drugs because they provide unfair advantages and cause adverse reactions. Steroid use causes patterns of dependence and tolerance. Side effects of abrupt cessation of steroids include physiological and psychological withdrawal symptoms. Because steroid use is often done illegally, scientific reports demonstrating effects are rare. The methods and results of studies conducted in the last two decades are not obsolete, however, and remain relevant today.
Fatigue and Libido
Abruptly stopping steroid intake often causes feelings of lethargy and apathy. A 1990 survey presented in the "American Journal of Psychiatry" looked at such withdrawal effects in eight bodybuilders using performance-enhancing drugs. These athletes filled out questionnaires during and after periods of steroid use. All of the participants experienced at least one negative symptom resulting from drug withdrawal. The most common side effects were enhanced fatigue and reduced libido. Seven subjects complained of fatigue, and four reported decreased sex drive. Other common complaints were insomnia, anorexia, and cravings. Each participant continued using steroids despite experiencing these negative reactions. Such continued use indicates substance abuse and psychological dependence.
Depressive Feelings
Taking anabolic drugs can create a feeling of euphoria. Users may experience this emotion indirectly from increased self-esteem and directly from the opiate-like drug mechanism of steroids. This euphoric feeling often reaches the point of mania and abrupt steroid withdrawal may therefore trigger depression. The National Institute on Drug Abuse cites depression as the most dangerous of all steroid withdrawal symptoms and notes that this side effect may be experienced for 12 months or longer after steroid use has ceased.
Suicidal Tendencies
These steroid-induced depressive feelings may lead to suicidal tendencies. A 1990 paper in the "Journal of Clinical Psychiatry" describes two cases which indicate a correlation between steroids and suicide. Both men had no previous suggestion of mental illness or violent behavior, yet each experienced suicidal thoughts during abrupt steroid withdrawal. Similarly, a 1999 study in the "Annals of Clinical Psychiatry" describes several cases showing a possible association between suicidal ideation and the cessation of anabolic steroids. In two of these cases, an actual suicide occurred after steroid withdrawal. Thus abruptly ending steroid use may lead to suicidal tendencies in some cases. The website "Steroid Law" indicates that such a steroid-suicide correlation remains difficult to document, however. Still, people should exercise caution when starting and stopping the intake of anabolic steroids.
References
- "American Journal of Psychiatry"; Evidence for Physical and Psychological Dependence on Anabolic Androgenic Steroids in Eight Weight Lifters; K. J. Brower et al.; April 1990
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Anabolic Steroid Abuse
- "Journal of Clinical Psychiatry"; Homicide and Near-Homicide by Anabolic Steroid Users; H. G. Pope, Jr. et al.; 1990
- "Annals of Clinical Psychiatry"; Anabolic Androgenic Steroids and Suicide"; I. Thiblin et al.; December 1999
- "Steroid Law": Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids and Suicide
