We discussed the negative effects of anabolic steroids on four different bodily systems in the previous material. If you haven’t read it yet, you should do so before continuing to this article: The Harm of Anabolic Steroids – Part 1.
The editors of Fit World do not endorse the use of anabolic steroids but rather want you to be aware of the risks associated with their use because they are harmful to human health.
Effects of anabolic steroids on various body systems
Heart
Studies done on both humans and animals have demonstrated that using anabolic steroids causes the heart to grow larger. This occurs as a result of the heart’s inclusion of muscle. The same as other muscle groups, it grows in size. Such heart muscle alterations reflect the symptoms of persistent heart abnormalities. Young athletes using anabolic drugs frequently experience abrupt death, which may be explained by this.
Blood vessels
Medical professionals claim that using anabolic steroids in large amounts since a young age can harm blood vessels. Steroids induce this because they raise collagen levels in blood vessel walls while decreasing elastin levels in connective tissue. As a result, the arteries stiffen.
According to research, the body reacts differently to testosterone produced internally versus externally. For instance, whereas taking anabolic steroids boosts blood cholesterol levels, natural testosterone reduces them.
The amount of sclerotic plaques in the blood is also increased by anabolic medications. These plaques develop as a result of numerous minor internal wounds and circulatory system leakage. This is a result of the different pressures that the body experiences during the day. They leave no visible signs behind; occasionally, a leak of this nature can resemble a bruise. Plaques support the circulatory system’s normal operation. But steroid usage causes plaques to gather together. Large areas of inflammation develop, which can ultimately result in heart attacks, blood clots, and even death.
Sexual system
High anabolic steroid dosages can cause temporary infertility, testicular shrinkage, and the development of secondary female sexual traits in men. Additionally, steroid medications have the potential to result in cancer and prostatitis. As the dose and duration of anabolic use increase, so does the risk of developing these disorders.
The longer a man uses steroids, the longer his testicles become dormant due to a lack of testosterone production. At the same time, sperm gradually change and substantially drop in quantity. A man may become infertile if he uses anabolic steroids for an extended period of time. But as soon as the preparations are stopped, the testicles’ functionality resumes to normal.
Secondary male sexual traits, such as clitoral enlargement, voice roughening, increased body hair, and hair loss with changes in skin texture, may develop in steroid-using women. All of these processes are reversible.
Endocrine system
The organ of internal secretion that distributes different hormones into the blood is the endocrine system. The hormones help regulate many physical activities once they are in the bloodstream and are then dispersed throughout the body. The thyroid, pituitary, pancreatic, and adrenal glands are all parts of the endocrine system, as are the male and female testicles and ovaries.
Hormones that are secreted by some endocrine glands are essential for the operation of other glands. The pituitary gland, for instance, secretes the hormones LH and FSH. These hormones aid in the synthesis of testosterone in male bodies. The pituitary gland starts secreting hormones in lower amounts as testosterone levels rise, which stops testosterone synthesis. As a result, the body controls its key functions through a feedback process.
When anabolic steroids are used, the body’s level of testosterone increases, which causes the pituitary gland to stop producing FSH and LH, resulting in temporary infertility in males and irregular periods in women.
Human behavior
Anabolic steroids have psychological consequences in addition to physiological ones. When these medicines are misused, the user’s mood changes drastically. He could transition from a euphoric mood to anger, violence, and suicidal thoughts. Even though this normally happens after stopping steroid use, some long-lasting mental alterations could still exist.
According to studies, when anabolic drug users were observed, almost all of them displayed regular irritability, a want to dispute, yell at people, and a desire to hurl things. More extreme adverse effects include an obsessive desire to beat up, maim, or otherwise injure another person.
