15 Worrying Facts About Steroid Abuse

Anabolic steroids are synthetic substances that are usually injected or ingested that increase muscle growth and regulate the male hormones. These steroids are intended to treat medical problems and are only to be prescribed and administered by a doctor. However, some people illegally use these steroids to enhance their athletic performance or stimulate muscle growth. When used without the direction of a doctor, steroids can pose a variety of health risks and prove to be very detrimental to the body and mind.

15 Facts About Steroid Abuse

1. Steroid abuse can cause high blood pressure. High blood pressure in steroid abusers can lead to heart attack and other heart problems, that may affect users throughout their lives.

2. The continued use of steroids can cause jaundice. Jaundice is a condition that causes the skin and eyes to appear yellow, which is due to the red blood cells in one’s body being rapidly destroyed. Jaundice is a symptom of liver problems, which can also be caused by steroid use.

3. Steroids can also be detrimental to a person’s appearance. For example, steroid use causes acne in many users. This acne can range from a few blemishes to sever acne, that generally covers the face, shoulders, and back.

4. Steroids can also affect one’s appearance by causing them to retain fluids. Fluid retention can cause a person to look bloated, which can result in a rounder face or a bloated abdomen. This may cause steroid users to appear as though they have gained body fat, which is generally the opposite intended effect of such steroid use.

5. One side effect of steroids that is discouraging to many men, is their ability to cause hair loss in men. Many steroid users show signs of increased hair loss, which may result in baldness. This effect is very discouraging to many men, and is also a tell-tale sign of steroid abuse.

6. Another side effect of steroids that is rather upsetting to many men, is their ability to promote male breast growth. Instead of increasing the size of the pectoral muscles, steroids can actually stimulate the growth of fatty breast tissue, which results in a feminine looking breast.

7. Steroids are also known to cause more serious side effects, like tumors in the liver and kidneys. In some cases, these tumors can be cancerous and even deadly.

8. In addition to causing liver and kidney tumors, steroids can also cause prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is one of the most dangerous cancers that a man can face. In fact, prostate cancer is behind only lung cancer, as the most deadly cancer among men in the United States.

9. Many steroid users also see an increase in the levels of LDL cholesterol, which is the “bad” cholesterol. A rise in LDL cholesterol causes the arteries to become clogged, which may result in a heart attack or stroke.

10. Steroids also interfere with a man’s fertility by lowering his sperm count and even causing his testicles to shrink. While this may not be a noticeable side effect to outsiders, this can interfere with a man’s ability to begin a family, and therefore his relationships.

11. Steroid abuse is also known to cause extreme mood swings in users. These moods swings range from uncontrollable anger and irritability to delusions of invincibility. While some of these mood swings are reported as pleasant, many of these emotions can become violent and problematic.

12. Women that use steroids may notice many masculine changes in their body. These changes include a deeper voice, growth of facial hair, and changes in their sexual organs.

13. Steroid use can also interfere with a woman’s fertility. Continued steroid use may result in a woman’s menstrual cycle to change or even stop completely, rendering her unable to produce offspring.

14. Steroid abuse also has a detrimental effect in development if used during adolescence. Steroids may cause adolescents to prematurely reach puberty and may also stunt their growth, which will leave them unable to grow to their full height.

15. Steroid users that share needles also run the risk of contracting HIV or other diseases, like hepatitis. While this may not be a common concern, those that share needles should be fully aware of the health risks associated with such behavior.