Last year, BBC made about using steroids among gym users, called it "Steroid Nation". Same year, Men's Health wrote about ''Britain's Steroid Epidemic".
What is your personal opinion about steroids or other performance-enhancing substances (PEDs). Do you use it? Is modern science aware of the this problem?
Steroids are addictive and have a large number of side effects, including stress, rage outburst etc. I don't use it (though I would love to be buffed). The consistent use results in kidney problems or failure. liver damage and tumors. It also increases the risk of diseases such as enlarged heart, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke and heart attack.
I must add that my previous post is about use of steroids for non-therapeutic purposes such as performance enhancing in fitness and sports.
Dear Professor, thank you for your kind response. Addictive potential of steroids is often ignored. In middle-east countries prevalence among gym visitors is relatively high (Lebanon >10%, Saudi Arabia >24%...). In Norway, 2% of adolescent boys (kids!) and 1% girl use steroids. About 4 million Americans, in 13-50 age group, used AAS in 2014 in one period of life, with 1 million having become dependent on these drugs. The total number does not include other PEDs, like insulin, grow hormone, etc.
Aleksandar P. Medarevic , I agree with your post. The reason it is ignored is because social undesirability of reporting results in tremendous underreporting.
Steroid itself has a palliative effect on some disease conditions to some extent but unwise or unethical uses make it a burden to human health. The better way is to use the natural herbs which contain steroids ( like Withania sominifera ..). It is notable that the steroid extracted from natural resources may have some undesired effects but its safety increases when taken in the form the crude drug .
Dr Apurva, thank you for answering and information about herbal steroids. Do you know some details, especially about Tribulus Terrestris?
Anabolic steroid use by amateur and professional athletes. Anabolic-androgenic steroids are synthetic, or human-made, variations of the male sex hormone testosterone. "Anabolic" refers to muscle building, and "androgenic" refers to increased male sex characteristics:
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/anabolic-steroids
According to WADA statistics, anabolic steroids are the most common cause of positive doping cases:
https://www.wada-ama.org/en/resources/laboratories/anti-doping-testing-figures-report
I think that it is related to a social phenomenon. That is, the steroid stimulates the men's desire to be admired and recognized. It finally leads to an addiction issue in mental health. Mental care may be more effective rather than just advising them not to use the steroid for their health.
Dear Claire, thank you for your observation. One of my ideas is that popularity of steroids is encouraged by social media (Instagram, especially) and Hollywood's films and series. Men are forced to use steroids to achieve the body expected by women and men.
Possible Health Effects of Anabolic Steroids. A number of unhealthy and damaging effects may result from the use of anabolic steroids that can lead to both emotional and physical problems. Studies have shown that abuse of steroids can increase aggressive behavior, cause mood swings, and impair judgment.
Some long-term effects of abuse cannot be observed. Although steroid use does not trigger the same intense, immediate response in the brain as another substance like cocaine, it can create changes to the brain over time. ... In the long-term, anabolic steroid abuse can cause: Anger and aggression
Some steroids can be incredibly harmful to those who take them. Conversely, some types are used to help people with inflammatory conditions like chronic bronchitis, but those are categorized as corticosteroids. They are not the same as the more harmful version: anabolic steroids.
Steroid abuse disrupts the normal production of hormones in the body, causing both reversible and irreversible changes. Reversible changes include reduced sperm production and shrinking of the testicles (testicular atrophy), while irreversible changes include male-pattern baldness and breast development (gynecomastia) in men. For more details please have a look at these useful RG links.
Article Adverse effects of anabolic androgenic steroids on the cardi...
Article Effects of Androgenic-Anabolic Steroids in Athletes
Article Anabolic androgenic steroids effects on the immune system: A review
Article Consequences of anabolic steroids abuse
Article Anabolic steroids: Dependence and complications of chronic use
Article Blood Doping: Risks to Athletes' Health and Strategies for Detection
A number of unhealthy and damaging effects may result from the use of anabolic steroids that can lead to both emotional and physical problems. Studies have shown that abuse of steroids can increase aggressive behavior, cause mood swings, and impair judgment.
Very important topic that provoked valuable informative comments which were well explained by our RG colleagues who participate in the discussion, with useful references ( web links and PDFs ).
Steroids taken orally (by mouth) have been linked to liver disease. Steroids taken by injection (by needle) can increase the risk of infectious diseases such as hepatitis or AIDS. In one study, 25% of steroid users shared needles.
Anabolic steroids can prevent a person from reaching their natural height. Young, developing bodies are particularly sensitive to anabolic steroids, and some of the side effects may be permanent. In addition to stunting height among growing adolescents, these steroids can trigger the growth of breasts in males. This can happen because the chemical structure of certain anabolic steroids is converted to the female hormone estrogen by a chemical reaction in the body.
Females may develop a deeper voice, an enlarged clitoris, and facial hair growth caused by the masculinizing effect of testosterone-like hormones. Women and girls also may experience the loss of scalp hair as well. These are potentially permanent side effects. Although long-term studies are scarce, experts believe that some harmful effects may not appear until many years after the abuse of these drugs.
The Health Effects of Steroid Using:
The Psychological Symptoms of steroid using:
- Mood swings, Sleep disruption, Aggressive behavior, Extreme irritability, Delusions, Impaired judgment because of feelings that nothing can hurt you, Paranoid jealousy, Euphoria or an exaggerated feeling of well-being, Depression after stopping steroids and Lack of sexual drive after stopping steroid use.
Today, steroid addiction whether topical or systemic is a big problem and may involved both psychological and physical dependence
Use of steroids for enhancing performance which we usually known as doping will lead to many health issues in both males and females. Use of these drugs are associated with many irreversible health issues affecting the reproductive system and others of the concern person.
I know little about steroids and that they have side effects. But in many cases, they are life saviors. In infants and small children, steroid application in some diseases (RAD, asthma, respiratory disorders etc. ), they give instant relieve which is good for the little ones with small lungs.
Dear Sanatombi, steroids are essential for humans, but the question was related to anabolic steroids that are used to improve body performance. There are surprisingly popular among amateur sportsmen, and necessary for professional athletes.
المنشطات هي مواد هرمونية تؤثر على صحة الرياضيين لانها تسبب اضرارللكلية لانها تعرضها للتعب والاجهاد وكذلك تسبب تضخم الاثداء الغير طبيعي للذكور وهي بالتالي مواد غير طبيعية لذلك ينصح بعدم تناولها الا باستشارة طبية
على الرغم من ان هذه المنشطات تفيد الرياضين بتضخيم العضلات لكن لها تأثيرات جانبيه سلبيه على الصحة
Hi every one
A number of unhealthy and damaging effects may result from the use of anabolic steroids that can lead to both emotional and physical problems. Studies have shown that abuse of steroids can increase aggressive behavior, cause mood swings, and impair judgment. Other reported effects include male-pattern baldness, acne, and liver damage. Using steroids can increase the risk of heart disease, stimulate the growth of certain cancers, and worsen other medical problems.
Activator is the use of any substance by athletes prohibited by the International Olympic Committee (Medical Committee) and that may increase the activity of the player abnormal activity, which makes him compete in a (fair) or (non) honest. These stimulants are substances that are alien to the body, or, at times, natural substances, taken in abnormal amounts, and in unusual ways contribute to the elevation of physical fitness in a natural way, in addition to the psychological effects that affect On fitness and its level, such as hypnosis and others. Why did the IOC deny the use of doping? Because it means a kind of fraud and deceit and is contrary to the values and ethics in honest sports competition. From the above, through the definition of doping, and by knowing the two main reasons why sports officials are represented in the Olympic Committee, they make use of them (forbidden) in the sports tradition: the safety of the athlete himself, in addition to maintaining fair and honorable competition Prohibited stimulants: 1 - stimulants of the central nervous system. 2. Drugs. 3 - building hormones. 4 - suppressive drugs for heart receptors. 5 - diuretics. 6 - peptides group. Medicines (reserved) when used: 1- Alcohol. 2- Mariguana. 3 - Local anesthesia. Cortisone. What are the damages caused by using, or taking stimulants? There are many damage and medical research has proved, and field results with athletes that the use of stimulant drugs leads to: (sometimes madness, impotence, death of heart attack, or hormonal imbalance, and is the result of general disorder of the body, or kidney disease and prostate tumors). In other psychological aspects: (mood disorder, feeling depressed and the desire for aggression or infertility) and victims of the treatment of stimulant drugs recall the champion of Finland, and its weight-lifting star (Timmy), who was ((paralyzed)) as a result of the use of stimulants !!! Individuals can damage the health points (for more clarity) they are as follows 1 - Addiction. 2 - psychological depression. 3 - Hepatitis. 4 - gastritis leading to the ulcer. 5 - different neurological diseases. 6 - insomnia and hallucinations. 7 - Diarrhea and nausea. 8. Loss of balance. 9 - Lung and heart diseases. 10 - Loss of appetite for food. 11 - muscle relaxation. 12 - increased secretions of tears and nose. 13 - rash. 14 - drop in breathing, ((((death)))) !!! 15 - the use of hormone testosterone (male hormone) and lead to infertility or infertility
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