The Sidelining Effects of Anabolic Steroids

Anabolic steroids are popular among athletes for the positive effects they have on their performance and muscular structure. However, the adverse effects far outweigh the benefits. These drugs can increase blood pressure, imbalance cholesterol levels, alter blood sugar content, increase risk of cardiovascular or coronary artery diseases, stimulate acne, cause baldness in both males and females, and even destroy the liver. The very composition of the heart could be modified through this drug abuse, enlarging and thickening the left ventricle. This causes arrhythmia, failure, attacks, and death of the heart (and therefore the user.) These heart-related claims are widely disputed, but still worth mentioning due to the severity.

The most common of the anabolic variety is testosterone, a naturally occurring hormone in men, and the use or abuse can have significant effect on each gender. For men, development of breast tissue is a concern. Other effects for men include sexual dysfunction, temporary infertility, and atrophy of the testes. For women, an abundance in body hair is typical. Other female-specific effects include an engorged clitoris, decrease in menstruation periods, and during pregnancy these drugs may cause cross-gendering of the developing fetus.

For adolescents or teenagers who use these drugs, one effect is stunted growth due to the bones no longer gaining any length. On the flip side, another effect is an increase in maturation of the bones. Also, teenage boys experience erections that increase in both number of occurrences and duration of increased arousal. For boys and girls alike, earlier sexual development and negative attitudes regarding health issues seems to profoundly occur among admitted users and abusers.

Besides the apparent and clinical physical effects of anabolic steroids, a number of psychiatric effects are prevalent among users and abusers. These symptoms broadly include increased aggression, abject violence, overall mania, dangerous psychosis, impending suicide, chemical dependence, clinical withdrawal, applicable mood disorders, and potentially other forms of substance abuse. Most of these psychiatric effects are drug and dose dependents; many medically provided treatment plans involving these drugs are safe. It's the abusing weightlifters and bodybuilders who typically suffer these maladies.

"Roid Rage" has been a popular side effect for over twenty years. Although probably spun out of the media's penchant for sensationalism, there is some reported truth to the connection between use and the committal of violent acts. This is dependent a great deal on chronic overuse. For the most part, drug participants don't provide enough clinical evidence to support the wider claims of the media. The most significant study was in 2006, which monitored two sets of identical twins. One of each set used anabolic steroids and the other did not. In the individuals who did use, increased levels of aggressiveness, anxiety, paranoia, and hostility were found compared to the non-using twins. Not much has been concluded concerning use and depression, as most of the reports are storied in nature. In fact, medical use could both cause and relieve depression. Those reporting suicides related to abuse were of teenage users.

The potential for addiction is high, though not as high as heroin, cocaine, or even nicotine. The addiction of steroids is more closely related to caffeine. Chemically, the pattern these drugs follow to affect the brain is very similar. The official report on just how easily addictive anabolic steroids are remains to be seen. Overall, abuse of any drug is an exercise in lack of self control and value in one's self. It may seem like an easy way to bulk up or outperform the competition, but in the end, it could be career, or life, ending.