In general, anabolic steroid side effects can be separated into two groups. One group consists of side effects that are an exaggeration of the expected pharmacological properties of the anabolic steroids. Potential hormonally related side effects of anabolic steroids in men include gynecomastia, fluid retention, acne, changes in libido, oligospermia and increased aggressiveness.
In women, amenorrhea and other menstrual irregularities occur commonly. As well there is a possibility of virilizing effects from the use of anabolic steroids. Some of these effects, such as coarsening and eventually deepening of the voice, hirsutism, male pattern baldness, reduction of breast size, and clitoral enlargement, may or may not be partially reversed by the discontinuation of anabolic steroids and if needed the use of androgen antagonists such as cyproterone acetate.
In most men, however, once the anabolic steroids are discontinued, the hormonal parameters invariably return to normal, except perhaps in those athletes who have used large amounts of anabolic steroids for prolonged periods of time. In some of these athletes the serum testosterone may remain depressed for several weeks to months - secondary to testicular atrophy and refractiveness of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis. Occasionally the serum testosterone fails to returns to normal, and long term replacement therapy is necessary.
The other group of side effects are those which are not usually thought of as related to either the anabolic or androgenic properties of these compounds. These side effects, while controversial as to the role that anabolic steroids have in their genesis and development, result in more than just cosmetic changes, and include changes in serum cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, prostatic cancer, kidney dysfunction, disturbances in carbohydrate metabolism, emotional disturbances, increased incidence of musculoskeletal injuries, cerebrovascular accidents, and hepatic dysfunction (with rare instances of hepatic cirrhosis), hepatocellular carcinoma and peliosis hepatitis. This second group of side effects, while posing a serious threat to the athlete, has often been misrepresented and sensationalized in both the media and some of the scientific literature. As noted earlier we need better controlled long term studies to accurately determine the risk involved in the prolonged use of anabolic steroids.
One of the major problems in working with former steroid users was to get the hormonal systems of the bodybuilders back on track producing testosterone naturally. This was very difficult because steroids shut down the testosterone producing system in the body. The hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis, the axis that controls testosterone production, ceases to function and extreme measures may be necessary to get testicles working again. It often takes a long time to recover and, in some cases, a user may never recover and be doomed to treatment with artificial steroids or testosterone for the rest of his life.
Steroids can also make the athlete lazy. He'll get growth with marginal training methods but find the road much tougher when he gets off steroids and has to do all the work himself. Metabolic Diet or not, it may take him a while to get back up to speed with proper training methods.
Steroid Alternatives: Supplements | Nutrition
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