Table of contents:
- What are anabolic steroids?
- What are the side effects of steroids?
- Steroid side effects in men
- Steroid side effects in women
- Steroid side effects in adolescents
- Short term and long term effects of steroid use
There are several types of steroids that are used for various things, one of which is corticosteroids which are often used to relieve inflammation. So, have you ever heard of anabolic steroids? If we hear news about an athlete who uses steroids to increase his muscles, usually the steroid in question is an anabolic steroid. What does it do and are there any side effects?
What are anabolic steroids?
In contrast to corticosteroids, anabolic steroids have a function to build muscle and accelerate wound healing. There are also some athletes who use steroids to improve their physical abilities. The type of steroid used is a synthetic version of testosterone. This important hormone for men does have a function as muscle building and physical changes in men. Both men and women produce testosterone, but testosterone added from the outside can have several consequences.
Then, can steroids be used for this? According to psychiatrist Kenneth Mautner, MD, of Emory University, doctors do not allow prescribing steroids to improve athletic performance. However, doctors usually prescribe steroids to treat certain medical conditions, such as treating muscle wasting in AIDS sufferers, treating certain puberty problems, or testicular loss of function.
Outside of certain medical conditions, it is illegal for doctors to prescribe, sell, or distribute steroids. This is due to the effects of anabolic steroids which are very strong.
What are the side effects of steroids?
Steroids are powerful hormones. The steroids used will affect the whole body. If used for a certain period of time, it will cause physical changes.
Steroid side effects in men
Here's what will happen to the male body after using steroids excessively:
- Growing breasts
- When an erection occurs, there will be pain
- The testicles will shrink
- There is a decrease in sperm production
- Risk of infertility
- Risk of impotence
Steroid side effects in women
Some women also use steroids, the following effects will be caused:
- The appearance of many fine hairs on the body and face
- There is a change in the voice that is heavier
- The menstrual cycle becomes irregular
- There is a widening of the clitoris
- Reduced breast size
Steroid side effects in adolescents
Steroids are not only used by adults, teenagers also use steroids for several reasons. The following effects may appear:
- There is a problem with height, the user can experience bone growth inhibition so that he has a short body.
- When used by young girls, the impact is long-term masculinization (male).
Often times, steroids are introduced into the body by injection. The illegality of this steroid makes the injections used not guaranteed sterility. The risk of HIV or hepatitis infection can be raised, if the injection used is not sterile. Still according to Mautner quoted by webMD, "Five people will probably take it and not get into long-term problems. But the sixth may end in death. "
Short term and long term effects of steroid use
Some people suspect that steroids are addictive, but this has not been clearly established. Some of these people continue to use it even though the effects are getting heavier and causing unwanted effects. Others assume that steroids are not addictive, because they don't make the user feel a certain "euphoria" - a feeling that often results in drug abuse.
Physical and ability changes can have a number of other, short-term, undesirable effects, such as:
- Hormonal acne gets messy
- Mood swings
- Tired or weak
- The emergence of feelings of anxiety
- Decreased appetite
- Experiencing sleep disturbances
- Tendency of oily skin
- There is a risk of baldness
- You are at risk for jaundice, aka jaundice - changes in skin color to yellow in babies
The long-term effects are:
- Irritability or anxiety, aka aggressive behavior roid rage
- Paranoia - the appearance of strange thoughts
- Delusions arise - thoughts that go against reality
- Heart attack
- There is an enlargement of the heart - caused by damage to the heart muscle
- There is a risk of developing liver cancer
- Increase the level of bad cholesterol
- Steroid dependence
If you have experienced dependence, at that time you immediately need treatment. Addiction can be illustrated by the patient feeling unable to use certain body functions without steroids. Even though excessive use will increase the hormone in the body and the effect will be even heavier.
Steroid withdrawal is usually done in a manner tapering program to minimize the symptoms of "withdrawal" steroids, such as:
- Apathy and depression
- Trouble concentrating
- Insomnia
- Decreased sexual needs
- Headache
- Muscle ache
- Anxious
- Anorexia
- Tired or weak