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12/16/08
Any time a person has to weigh the positive effects upon the body of using anabolic steroids, he or she should put a great deal more thought into evaluating and weighing the negative effects. While AAS delivers greater muscular size, lower body fat, and increased strength, they often also deliver a wealth of negative side effects which can make the user regret ever touching them. However, if one is able to study and understand the full set of risks, and decides that it is worth it, then a great amount of personal growth toward one’s own potential can be reached. Here are a few common side effects of anabolic steroids, broken down by body system.
Male reproductive system
In men, steroids can severely limit the function of your reproductive systems. Testicles will shrink and sperm count will drop to near zero as your pituitary gland will shut off all natural testosterone production by the testes. Gynecomastia can also occur.
Female reproductive system
Women who use heavy loads of anabolic steroids often find themselves completely missing their menstrual period. The uterus may shrink, and the clitoris may grow. Pregnancy while using AAS is an idea advised against by every expert.
Liver
Liver cell damage is common with the use of anabolic steroids. This remarkable organ is able to regenerate new cells and “heal” itself given adequate time for recovery. However once a tumor starts, you’ll be in for the fight of your life to defeat it!
Skin
Acne is a serious problem among most users of AAS, but can be treated. Stretch marks occur in both males and females who use AAS due to the quick rates of growth. Finally, and the one that many men dread, comes males pattern baldness, an acceleration of nature’s plan for your hair thinning and receding due to androgen receptors in the scalp.
Larynx
The voice deepens in both males and females who experiment with anabolic steroids. This is not reversible. Ladies, you may have that low voice for the rest of your life.
Psychological
These are those side effects which are often tough to measure, as they involve behavioral characteristics, and are not something which can be easily assessed in a laboratory with blood work. Depression, increased aggression, anger, mood swings, and in some cases, psychosis can occur when using steroids. Addiction is perhaps the most serious of all, and fuels a compounding of the effects without end.
Immune System
While steroids make a person stronger in the gym, they can have a toll upon the immune system of a person, and his or her ability to fight illness of disease. Injectable steroids often deliver small amounts of bacteria, or the injection zones become infected. Some athletes – even top professional - find themselves in the hospital for weeks at a time due to staph infections resulting from bad shots, or good shots containing a negative compound.
Cardiovascular
AAS causes levels of LDL (the bad cholesterol) to spike. In turn, it also causes levels of HDL (the good cholesterol) to plummet. Toss in the elevated blood pressure (hypertension) and you have a person who is a prime candidate for heart disease. If you have a family history of cardiovascular disease (people having heart attacks in their 40s) then steroids might not be for you!
