Side Effects Of Oral Steroids In Bodybuilding
Anabolic steroids, usually called simply “steroids”, have a very bad reputation today. Bodybuilders who see someone gaining muscle faster can make it go away, thinking that the other person needs to take something to get those results. Professional athletes tested positive for steroids and other growth or performance-enhancing drugs are excluded from teams whose rewards, medals and titles are revoked.
There has been a strong reaction against anyone suspected or surprised to use steroids, but does that mean that steroids are always bad news?
There are legitimate medical uses for anabolic steroids. These drugs help the body develop lean muscle mass by acting in the same way as male hormones (testosterone and dihydrotestosterone). What many people do not realize is that steroids do things other than male hormones, such as stimulating vocal cord growth, increasing hair growth, and encouraging puberty.
People with HIV or who fight cancer are often prescribed steroids to help their bodies recover and survive, but they are not so great for healthy people who just want to grow.
You could say that steroids will make anyone a man! This may seem quite perfect for bodybuilders and serious athletes who need to prepare their muscle growth as quickly as possible, but you must know about the possible side effects and complications before deciding to start doping yourself.
Taking low dose steroids for a very short time will not do much for most people, good or bad. It is when you take them steadily over longer periods and/or in high doses that you will start having less than pleasant side effects. This can include:
- Acne
- High cholesterol
- Hypertension
- Damage to the heart
- Damage to the liver
- Infertility
- Male pattern baldness
- Deep voice
It should not be surprising that many bodybuilders and athletes who use steroids regularly develop acne problems. The increase in male hormones stimulates all the discomfort experienced by adolescent boys when they reach puberty.
Other side effects are more serious and can sometimes become fatal. Large doses of steroids over time can cause life-threatening heart damage. Taking even lower doses over a long period of time can damage the liver, increase cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Liver damage is a side effect of using oral steroids. Injectable steroids have been shown to be safer for the liver, although they can still cause other side effects when they are abused or used without serious need.
Infertility is a side effect of using higher doses of steroids for longer periods. Many men do not think about their fertility or “virility” when they start using steroids, but later find out that they cannot have children or that they may have to undergo procedures; special to stimulate testicular function. It does not always work and many men can never have children after prolonged use of steroids.
For women, the use of steroids can stop the menstrual cycle and lead to the development of male characteristics. Their voices may go down and they may even suffer from male pattern baldness.
None of this is nice to think about, but keep it in your head when you determine if steroids are worth the risk.
Bodybuilding steroids are used by people involved in building muscle to improve their performance. These stimulants are of different types and they are used for different parts of the body. The main goal of using these drugs is to surpass the opponents. However, steroids have various side effects on the body in both men and women. They must, therefore, be taken with great care to avoid complications in the body.
The effects of bodybuilding steroids are sometimes considered harmful and irreversible. Some of them include acne on the face and back. They are also responsible for some behavioral changes in some people. The person will normally be easily irritated and aggressive. The aggression against some of these people has led them to commit crimes such as armed robbery and physical fighting. This will normally depend on the type of drug taken and the duration of use. These are also liable for high blood pressure, sexual arousal, mood swings, , heart attacks, and confusion.
These stimulants are especially dangerous for teenagers as they hinder the normal growth of the teenager. They are taken orally, applied as gels, nasal patches, and sprays, or injections. They are normally illegal and, therefore, it is very difficult to ask a doctor to do it for an individual. Sometimes these medications have an effect on the stomach, which becomes swollen and irritated. They can also cause serious cases of jaundice, hepatitis, and cancer. In men, muscle steroids reduce the number of sperm and, in women, they lead to a risk of massive muscle development, which is irreversible.
