Health Consequences of Steroid Use: What You Need to Know

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Did you know that from 1990 to 2012, 19 deaths were linked to anabolic steroid use according to reports? The consequences of abusing anabolic steroids vary widely. They can be temporary or permanent and devastating. Through expert Q&A, we explore the many health issues steroids can cause. We aim to highlight the dangers and complex issues of using these performance enhancers. Some negative effects may go away if usage stops. Yet, some problems can last long after the steroids are gone. This shows how vital it is to know about anabolic steroids' side effects. Also, it's crucial to understand the impact of using steroids for a long time and the risks of misusing them.

Key Takeaways

Between 1990 and 2012, there were 19 reported deaths tied to anabolic steroid use.
Adverse cardiovascular effects include high blood pressure and heart diseases.
Females may experience masculinization, including voice deepening and increased body hair.
Steroid use can result in severe liver damage, including tumors and peliosis hepatis.
Children and adolescents risk stunted growth and premature bone cessation.
Serious psychological effects like aggression and depression are common.
Education and supervised training can help mitigate the harmful impact of steroid misuse.

Understanding Steroids and Their Uses

Anabolic-androgenic steroids are also known as performance-enhancing drugs. They are made to act like the male hormone testosterone. People use these substances to grow muscles and become stronger. This makes them popular among athletes and bodybuilders.

What Are Anabolic Steroids?

Anabolic steroids help muscles grow bigger and stronger in response to exercise. They do this by acting like the testosterone our bodies naturally make. But, using these steroids can be risky. They can cause heart problems and high blood pressure, even in young athletes under 30. For guys, they might lead to less sperm and smaller testicles. Girls might get a deeper voice and more body hair.

Common Uses of Steroids

Doctors can legally prescribe anabolic-androgenic steroids for some health problems. These include hormone issues, muscle loss diseases, and late puberty. But, many people use them without a doctor's prescription to look better or perform better in sports. It's thought that 3 to 4 million people in the U.S. use anabolic steroids this way.

Legal vs. Illegal Use of Steroids

By law, anabolic steroids are considered Schedule III substances. This means they're recognized for medical use but can be abused. Using steroids without a prescription is illegal. Sometimes, people use doses that are much higher than what a doctor would prescribe. High school athletes are less likely to misuse steroids if their friends and family disapprove. Teaching them about the good and bad of steroids works better than only talking about the risks.

“Anabolic steroids are the most common appearance- and performance-enhancing drugs, but their misuse can result in severe health consequences, including liver damage and cardiovascular issues.”

Cardiovascular Health Risks Associated with Steroid Use

Using steroids can badly hurt your heart and blood vessels, leading to dangerous health problems. People who abuse steroids might see their blood pressure go up. This increases the chance of getting heart disease from steroids. Steroids change the levels of certain fats in the blood. They make LDL (the “bad” cholesterol) go up and HDL (the “good” cholesterol) go down. This can cause serious heart issues.

High Blood Pressure

Steroids can make your blood pressure shoot up, raising the danger of high blood pressure problems. This risk is even bigger because steroids can also make arteries harden, leading to blockages. These blockages can set the stage for worse heart problems. Lots of people in the U.S., around 3 to 4 million, use steroids to bulk up, which makes this a big issue.

Heart Attacks

People who misuse steroids are more likely to have heart attacks. A study by the American Heart Association in 2017 found that steroids hurt the heart's function and could cause artery disease. Another study with 105 people showed that steroid abuse messes up blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart rhythm.

Stroke and Artery Damage

Strokes and damage to arteries are serious dangers of abusing steroids. Long-term high blood pressure from steroids damages arteries and makes strokes more likely. Steroids also mess up cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of artery hardening. A 2018 research found that steroid users had more rigid arteries, pointing to serious vascular problems.

Given these serious risks to your heart, thinking carefully before using steroids is important. They not only expose you to immediate heart problems but also harm your health over time. This can happen through conditions like high blood pressure and changed cholesterol levels.

Hormonal System Effects in Men and Women

Understanding how steroids affect men and women is important. We need to look at the specific effects on both genders. Also, we should consider the long-term hormonal problems they cause. Anabolic steroids mess with the body’s natural hormone balance. This leads to different bad effects for males and females.

Specific Effects on Men

Steroids cause several hormonal issues in men. This includes less sperm production and bigger breasts (gynecomastia). Conditions like male-pattern baldness can become permanent. One big risk is increased chance of testicular cancer. This happens because steroids can harm testicular function. Also, the heart can be damaged by steroids. This adds to the health risks of using steroids wrongly.

Specific Effects on Women

Women who use steroids wrongly face their own hormonal issues. These problems can make them more masculine. They may get a deeper voice, smaller breasts, and more body hair. Sadly, some changes, like a deeper voice and more hair, can't be reversed. The chance of long-term problems, including hormone issues, is big. This affects their health and natural hormone levels a lot.

Long-term Hormonal Disruptions

Using steroids for a long time causes big hormonal problems. These problems can last a long time and might not go away. They harm many body systems in both men and women. Studies show that long-term steroid use can mess up the endocrine system. It might even make hormone-related cancers, like testicular cancer, more likely. The big changes these hormones cause highlight the need for rules and education on steroid use.

Mental and Behavioral Impacts of Steroid Use

The impact of steroids on mental health gets lots of attention. This is because they can cause various mental health problems. Steroids can make people aggressive and manic. They can also lead to serious mood disorders when used for too long.

Aggression and Mania

People on steroids may feel more aggressive, a problem known as “roid rage.” This aggression can cause arguments and legal problems. Beyond just anger, steroids can also lead to mania. This means people may feel overly happy or too active. A study found that psychiatric issues like these affected 142 out of 3138 patients taking oral corticosteroids.

Depression and Mood Swings

Depression is common among steroid users. In a study, 0.7% developed depression after using steroids for a long time. Mood swings are another issue, especially when stopping steroids. This can lead to anxiety, depression, and trouble sleeping. Withdrawal from steroids can be hard, with feelings of depression, suicidal thoughts, and tiredness.

Delusions and Other Psychiatric Effects

Steroids can cause more than just mood problems. Some users might have delusions or feel paranoid. These issues can get worse, leading to psychosis. This includes seeing or hearing things and thinking unclearly. Anxiety affected 0.95% of steroid users in a study. Up to 32% of people may experience severe psychosis in certain situations.

Studies show that the risk of mental side effects depends on the person's gender, age, and steroid type. For instance, 62.67% of the patients who had mental issues while using steroids were women. This shows a notable difference in how steroids affect men and women.

Liver Damage and Associated Risks

Illegal steroid use is closely linked to many liver risks. These include serious conditions like blood-filled liver cysts and liver tumors. Such health issues need quick doctor visits to avoid big troubles.

Peliosis Hepatis

Peliosis hepatis is dangerous and fills the liver with blood cysts. It's mostly seen in people using steroids for long periods for certain medical issues. If these cysts bleed, it can be deadly, needing fast medical help.

Liver Tumors

Liver tumors can occur from steroids, involving severe types like hepatocellular carcinoma¹¹. These tumors might appear after 5 to 15 years of using steroids, sometimes even in two years. The longer and uncontrolled the steroid use, the higher the risk of these dangerous tumors, making urgent treatments essential.

Jaundice and Other Liver Issues

Steroids can also cause jaundice because of their harmful effects on the liver. Around 1% of people taking certain steroids face a serious liver blockage. Plus, signs of liver stress are typical, mainly with some steroids, showing the harmful effects of misusing steroids on liver health.

Health Impacts of Steroids on Young People

Teens taking steroids face many serious health dangers. These include early puberty, mood changes, and more risk-taking.

Premature Puberty and Growth Issues

Early puberty and growth problems are big worries with teen steroid use. Unauthorized steroid use can make bones age too soon and stop growth. These drugs also mess with hormone levels, causing permanent changes like not growing taller and body development issues.

Mood and Behavioral Concerns

Steroid misuse greatly affects young people's minds. Users may have mood swings, get more aggressive, and face a bigger chance of depression and anxiety. This can lead to increased aggression, known as “‘roid rage,” and more suicide attempts and severe mental health problems. These mood and behavior changes can greatly harm a young person's social and school life.

Association with High-Risk Behaviors

There's a strong tie between steroid misuse and risky teen behaviors. Teens with body image issues might use steroids, leading to unsafe habits for achieving their ideal body. These risky actions include using dirty needles, raising the risk of HIV, hepatitis B, and C. Such substance misuse can ruin a teen's social and growth paths, hurting their future.

Risks of Infections Linked to Steroid Use

Steroid use, especially injectables, comes with serious infection risks. Injecting steroids the wrong way or in unclean settings can cause many issues. It's vital to follow the right steps during the process.

HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis

HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis are big risks for those who share needles or use them in unclean ways. Using corticosteroids through injections raises these risks. Doctors suggest getting corticosteroid injections no more than three or four times a year. This helps lessen side effects.

Not using steroids correctly can lead to more infections. This is very true for patients with diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. It's key to only use steroids as advised.

Abscesses and Injection Site Infections

Using steroids can also lead to abscesses and problems at the injection site. Abscesses are pus-filled bumps under the skin. There's also post-injection flare, which causes pain and swelling. Studies show that more steroid use means a higher chance of serious infections.

These problems often need a doctor's help. Not treating them can result in worse health issues. Getting regular check-ups and using the right techniques for injections are key to avoid these problems.

Skin and Musculoskeletal Effects

Anabolic steroids can greatly affect your skin and bones. While you might manage these impacts, they still pose serious risks to your health over time.

Acne, Cysts, and Skin Oiliness

An obvious side effect of anabolic steroids is steroid-induced acne. Users often report severe acne, cysts, and very oily skin. Indeed, 43% of people who use anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) will notice acne problems. Worse, up to half of these individuals might face a severe acne type, known as acne fulminans (AF). AF can lead to painful, bleeding symptoms and even permanent scars. These conditions can make users feel upset, anxious, and depressed.

Short Stature and Tendon Injuries

Using anabolic steroids can also harm your musculoskeletal system. A big concern is how these steroids affect young people's growth. They can cause bones to stop growing too soon, leading to being shorter than expected. Weightlifters who misuse steroids might hurt their tendons, making them too stiff. This stiffness ups the risk of serious injuries. When tendons become less flexible, the chance of damaging them increases greatly.

Side Effect	Percentage of Users Affected
Severe Acne	43%
Cysts	50%
Musculoskeletal Damage	Not quantified

Using steroids the wrong way can mess up your hormones. This mess-up makes the bad physical effects even worse with every cycle of misuse. So, it’s key to tackle both the noticeable and hidden harms to lessen the extensive damage anabolic steroids cause.

Conclusion

The side effects of steroids reach far, touching various parts of the body and going beyond the pull of better physical strength. Studies show that the use of anabolic-androgenic steroids can lead to serious health issues. This includes problems with the heart, hormone levels, mental health, liver, and a higher chance of getting infections. This shows the urgent need for good health education on steroids. It can help steer people away from using them wrongly and towards safer options.

In the United Kingdom, the misuse of anabolic-androgenic steroids is a major issue. It helps us better understand how widespread and damaging this problem is. Studies have clearly found that misusing steroids can cause serious health problems like high blood pressure, heart issues, liver damage, cancer, and blood clots. In the world of sports, big organizations like the NFL and MLB have strict testing to stop misuse and keep athletes healthy.

More data shows that abusing steroids doesn't just hurt physical health. It also causes big changes in how people feel and act, including anger, sadness, and extreme excitement. The risk of getting HIV/AIDS and other infections from sharing needles adds to the health risks. To fight steroid misuse, we need to teach people well and make them aware of the long-term health dangers. By focusing on ways to prevent it and helping those impacted, the whole community can help lessen these dangers and protect public health.

FAQ

What Are Anabolic Steroids?

Anabolic steroids, also known as anabolic-androgenic steroids, are man-made. They act like testosterone, the male hormone. They help with muscle growth and improve sports skills. But, they come with big health risks.

What Are the Common Uses of Steroids?

Steroids are used in two main ways. Doctors prescribe them for hormone issues, muscle loss, and when puberty is slow. Some athletes and bodybuilders use them without prescriptions to look better and perform better, which is risky.

What Is the Difference Between Legal and Illegal Use of Steroids?

Using steroids with a doctor's help for health problems is legal. Using them without a prescription to boost performance or looks is illegal. It can cause health troubles and legal issues, like getting kicked out of sports.

How Do Steroids Affect Cardiovascular Health?

Steroids can mess up the heart and blood vessels in serious ways. They can lead to high blood pressure, blood clots, and heart muscle problems. These can cause heart attacks, strokes, and damage to arteries.

What Are Specific Effects of Steroids on Men?

For men, steroids can lower sperm count, shrink testicles, cause baldness, and grow breasts. Some effects might go away if you stop taking steroids, but others can last forever.

How Do Steroids Affect Women?

In women, steroids can cause more male traits, like a deep voice, smaller breasts, and more body hair. These changes might not go back to normal, causing long-term issues.

What Long-term Hormonal Disruptions Can Steroids Cause?

Using steroids for a long time can mess up the body's hormone balance. This can lead to long-lasting problems like not being able to have kids and more risk of cancer in men, and hormone issues in women.

How Do Steroids Impact Mental Health?

Steroids can make people very aggressive, overly happy or sad, and delusional. This “roid rage” can make someone act violently, causing problems with the law.

What Liver Damage Can Result from Steroid Use?

Steroids can harm the liver badly, causing blood-filled cysts, tumors, and jaundice. These problems can be deadly and need urgent medical care.

How Do Steroids Affect Young People?

Teens using steroids face serious health dangers like messed-up puberty, stopped growth, mood changes, and risky behaviors. These can harm their growing up, both in body and mind.

What Infections Are Linked to Steroid Use?

Steroid users who share needles risk catching HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, and infections like abscesses. These diseases are very serious and need medical help.

What Are the Dermatological and Musculoskeletal Effects of Steroids?

Steroids can cause bad acne, cysts, and oily skin. During growth years, they can stop you from getting taller and make tendons weak, raising injury risk.

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Meet BDPT Voices: Dr. Olivia Sterling, Jackson “Jax” Fairweather, and Aria Montgomery. Together, they form the analytical and creative heart of BDPT, delving into the world of celebrity physical transformations. From medical insights to sports analysis to entertainment trends, BDPT Voices offers a multifaceted exploration that captivates, informs, and challenges readers.