The Long Term Effects of Taking Anabolic Steroids


Our body relies on hormones in order to survive. They send signals throughout the body

that carry adverse effects including growth and development. An important subset of these

hormones are endogenously produced androgens like testosterone. This is sex hormone found in

both males and females to help regulate sex drive (libido), bone mass, fat distribution, muscle

mass and strength, and the production of red blood cells. The human body naturally produces

this hormone in order to maintain the functions listed previously in order to survive. Males have

a higher testosterone concentration compared to females. However, the hormone is essential for

both sexes to maintain homeostasis. In the context of health and fitness, testosterone is essential

for growth and development for our body. After a tough workout, the body has gone through

wears and tears on the microfibral level. As a response, the body produces testosterone to repair

these wears and tears not to the way it was originally but to a stronger and more resilient manner

so that the body can handle the same work out more efficiently. This is the key to strength and

recovery.

As of recently in the past couple decades, artificial anabolic steroids have been on the

market for consumers to buy. As the name suggests, testosterone can be produced artificially and

consumed externally for the purpose of accelerating and maximizing muscle growth and

performance. In our sport’s climates today, athletes such as professional bodybuilders take these

anabolic steroids to achieve what seems to be almost “superhuman” physiques that one cannot

achieve naturally. Other sports such as running, boxing, football, etc have been infamous for

athletes taking steroids in order to enhance performance in their respective fields. However, there

is a cost to taking these anabolic steroids. The article in question goes over the long term effects

when taking anabolic steroids.

The article makes it apparent the body’s natural ability to produce testosterone

endogenously severely decreases with prolonged external supplementation of anabolic steroids.

This makes sense as the body suppresses its own testosterone levels if the system receives a

surplus of the hormone from a different source. The danger of externally taking steroids for a

long period of time is that the body may not be able to produce adequate testosterone levels once

off external supplementation. This can result in detrimental health complications such as anemia

due to low red cell production, osteoporosis due to low bone density, and organ failure. One of

the most frequent side effects that the article goes over is hepatotoxicity, liver damage. Anabolic

steroids create an increasing amount of oxidative stress on liver cells, which results in liver

damage. Prolonged exposure to oxidative stress through anabolic supplements can lead to overall

liver failure. Overall, the journal goes into the harmful effects of modern day anabolic steroid

intake and highlights the key side effects that come along with taking these drugs for sports

performance and enhancement.

Posted by: Will Nguyen (5)


Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7832337/

Comments

  1. Megan WinklerOctober 25, 2023 at 7:38 AM

    Hi Will! Thank you for sharing! Anabolic steroids are becoming increasingly more prevalent and, even more concerning, it seems that the age in which people are starting is getting younger and younger. I wonder and genuinely worry about what impact this may have on young boys developments. Coupled with the unrealistic body standards all over social media, these companies are profiting off our insecurities, as so many do, but at the severe detriment of our wellbeing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousOctober 29, 2023 at 5:50 PM

      Hi Megan, I do agree with your thoughts and concerns. I think especially in today's culture among people our generation, there is a push to go out and exercise, which is great. The setback is that more young people are getting into using anabolic steroids because of this culture that is bred online. The greatest concern is that people are starting these steroids younger, which will have drastic long term effects due to affecting puberty and teenage development leading into adulthood.

      Delete
    2. AnonymousOctober 29, 2023 at 5:50 PM

      -Will Nguyễn

      Delete
  2. AnonymousOctober 25, 2023 at 8:51 AM

    Hi Will! This is very important and I am glad you shed light on the role of testosterone in our bodies. Additionally, the potential long term affects of anabolic steroids is scary but this shows that it is really important to make informed decisions on what you put in your body in regards to fitness and performance. I wonder if there are any effective safe and or natural alternatives to these anabolic steroids?

    - Chloe Springer

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousOctober 29, 2023 at 5:53 PM

      Hi Chloe, I definitely agree with you that is really important for people to make informed decisions, especially when it comes to putting substances into your own body. I think information is important when it comes to what you are consuming and the long term side effects and consquences and doing so. I definitely know there are supplements that enhance muscle recovery and strength, but not to the same degree as anabolic steroids.
      -Will Nguyen

      Delete

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