Prominent athletes, movie stars, models, and other high-profile pop-culture icons are often doping. Steroid abuse affects many people in organized sports, raising ethical and health concerns with many adverse side effects.
The use of steroids causes extreme changes in the body’s natural hormone levels, leading to emotional changes that can cause depression and anxiety in some users. In addition, for those who exhibit high testosterone levels, steroids can trigger mania and aggression.
Steroids also alter men’s sexual behavior, increasing their libido and altering their perception of women. Men may even become infertile; the physical side effects on the body are so severe that they can cause heart disease, liver disease, and kidney failure.
Steroids also affect speed and coordination, putting athletes at a higher risk for injury, making them less productive in sport. Increased steroid use has been examined as contributing to injuries associated with repetitive stress injuries such as muscle tears or tendonitis.
How Do Steroids Work In Your Body?
Steroids work by binding to the receptors on cells, increasing their protein production rate. This change in protein production causes an increase in muscle mass and strength. However, the extra protein produced will take energy to produce and maintain.
Resulting in muscle wasting and reduced energy levels if steroids are not used for some time. In addition, men who use steroids show an increase in body hair growth, a deepening of the voice, and facial hair growth.
The increased muscularity can have psychological effects as well. For example, many users report that steroids make them feel invincible and aggressive. The alteration of behavior is likened to stimulants such as amphetamines or cocaine.
The Possible Outcome Of Using Steroids
Despite the many benefits of using steroids, their side effects are obvious. So here are the lists of the side effects; click to read more info.
- Risk Of Heart Diseases Can be Increased
Steroid users’ risk of heart diseases can be increased when they are not engaged in a sport. This happens when the body produces more testosterone than usual which is expressed in the liver, kidney, and testes.
The increase of steroid intake can cause an artery to narrow, increasing the blood pressure and pressure on the blood vessels, which leads to a heart attack. In addition, when the body is subjected to high-stress levels caused by training or exuberant physical activity, it opens the artery that leads to a heart attack.
- Effects on Reproduction is High
The male users who take steroids may have reproductive problems or failure in future generations using steroids. In addition, steroids may cause testicular shrinkage, low sperm production, and infertility which is a problem in the long term.
Some side effects like acne, hair loss, aggressive behavior, and vomiting. In women, steroid use can cause the clitoris and labia to enlarge and deepen the voice.
The steroids used by transgender men or women can cause bleeding in the brain. Steroid use by men can lead to breast cancer.
Female bodybuilders are susceptible to a deeper voice, increased muscle mass, and clitoral enlargement.
- Hair Loss And Skin Problems
Long-term steroid abuse causes hair loss with thinning, balding, permanent scarring on the skin, among others.
Short-term include increased redness in the face and skin rashes caused by anabolic steroids.
Steroid abuse can cause the weakening of bones and increased risk of fractured vertebrae, limbs, wrists, and ankles, among others.
Women who use steroids for a long time can have their uterus shrink, and ovaries may stop producing eggs due to steroid use.
Risk Of Infections
When the body is subjected to high-stress levels caused by training or exuberant physical activity, it opens the artery, leading to a heart attack. The infection can cause death or illness, so use caution when taking steroids.
Steroid users are at high risk of contracting infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis. Some side effects like acne, hair loss, aggressive behavior, vomiting, and some more. In women, steroid use can cause an enlarged clitoris, enlarged labia, and deepening voice.
The Safe Dosage Is Also Available
According to health professionals, the safest forms of steroids are oral pills and topical creams. The testosterone is produced by the body itself and is safe for normal use.
But those who abuse long-term hormone supplements such as steroids and other derivatives such as anabolic-androgenic steroids can cause estrogen levels to rise, which may cause several complications.
The artificial steroid is a hydrochloride salt (salts) of synthetic hormones used as drugs to help people build muscles or lose excess fat. The drugs are generally several forms: oral, patches, injections, or implantable pellets.
Ending Words
Steroids are not safe for your health. The long-term use of large doses of steroids can reduce the body’s ability to produce testosterone. As a result, sudden reduction of oxygen, stroke, and cardiovascular problems may occur.
The tablets are rarely used in adults as they come with several side effects such as acne, shedding hair, high blood pressure, and irregular menstrual periods.