The Effects of Steroid Use

Steroids and anabolic steroids DO have side effects. Do not be fooled into thinking there is a perfect steroid out there. That’s not true. All steroids carry some type of side effects in one form or another. There is no such thing as a side effect free steroid.
There are many side effects of using any medical treatment, including steroids. Here are some things an athlete might experience through the use of steroids:

Your body wants to maintain a balance of hormones, so by undertaking a steroid regimen will send a signal to your body to shut down its natural hormone production. The levels of inhibition vary depending on the type of hormone ingested and most often hormone production resumes after the athlete stops his or her steroid regimen.

The liver can be affected with orally ingested steroids. This means that studies have shown the levels of liver enzymes to increase after ingesting oral steroids which is an indication of liver activity. While some experts say that this is a sign of possible liver damage, other studies have shown that enzyme levels return to normal when the athlete stops taking the steroid.

Steroids can affect levels of cholesterol. Athletes who use steroids show increased levels of LDL’s (the “bad” cholesterol) and decreased levels of HDL’s (the “good” cholesterol). This may also why anabolic steroids have been linked to cardiovascular problems as well.

Anabolic steroids increase the levels of estrogen in the body which can lead to female-like breast tissue in males. However, there are anti-estrogen drugs that can help reduce this risk. Likewise, females who use anabolic steroids might begin to develop male characteristics such as hirsuitism or deepening of the voice, clitoral enlargement.

Athletes who use anabolic steroids might also experience increased acne; this is often related to the type and amount of steroids used.

One of the most commonly suspected side effects of steroid use is increased aggressiveness. This is a real but rare side effect of steroid use – most studies show that this increased aggressiveness or sometimes mania is more prevalent in people who were aggressive to begin with.

Some steroids will stop the growth of people who use them before they have finished growing. This is one of the few side effects that cannot be reversed through stopping a steroid regimen.

There are other effects on internal organs (caused by the type and dose of steroid as well as the effects of the exercise/training regimen that goes along with trying to “bulk up”) that are often reversed at the cessation of steroid use. These include enlarged prostates, high blood pressure, kidney problems and changes in the immune system.
Sterility is also a possible side effect as the hormones in the body are altered during use of anabolic steroids. This can often be reversed or remedied with proper hormone treatments.

Always remember, effects of steroids are very serious. Users do exprience bad and negative side effects, so be warned! Do your research.