Steroid Abuse
Steroids are considered to be exceptional health products when it comes to building muscle mass and gaining dramatic strength. But while they can prove to be highly useful, they can also prove to be harmful if abused.
In this article, we would be studying about how harmful steroids can turn out to be when abused.
Let us first know and understand what steroid abuse means in the first parlance.
According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, drug addiction is more like a disease of the brain. Although the initial usage may be voluntary in the nature, it may turn to be of a compulsive craving nature with passage of the time.
In most of the cases, the abuse of steroids happens when individuals start taking them for reasons other than medical and genuine purposes. It is important to note here that any administration of steroids without a prior qualified medical advice is considered to be an abuse of steroids by government and health authorities.
Any usage of steroids, without they being prescribed by a licensed physician, counts as steroid abuse. The reason for this definition is quite simple - steroids can turn out to be quite harmful as they are very powerful hormones. Abusing steroids can mean inviting many health problems to the human body. These health problems can be in the form of heart attack, stroke, acne, cancer, HIV/AIDS, enlargement of the clitoris (women), development of breast cancer (men), deepening of voice and development of male sexual characteristics in women, anxiety, depression, mania, hallucination, increased level of aggression, menstrual irregularities, and restlessness to name a few.
With so many serious consequences, it is never advisable for any individual, irrespective of his age, gender, and steroid preferences, to go for steroids.
Let us discuss about some of health problems that can be caused due to abuse of steroids.
HIV/Hepatitis: The risk of contracting HIV or hepatitis is greater with anabolic steroid users who do not have access to clean and sterile needles. It is important to note here that sharing of needles is not merely concerned with any one else but also not using the same needle more than once. This means that if I am steroid user, I should not be using the same needle time and again even if I am the sole user of that needle.
Stunted Growth: Steroids can inhibit any further growth of an individual. The advancement and fusion of the epiphysis can result in increase in the levels of androgens. This can lead to bone age advancement and it is well known that when bone plates are fused completely, growth of the body is over.
Hair Loss: Since steroids can get easily converted to the variants of Dihydrotestosterone, they speed up the process of male pattern baldness in the users. Dihydrotestosterone is a recognized reason of premature hair loss in men and women.
Growth of unwanted body hair: Steroids can result in abnormal growth of unwanted body hair on areas such as face, legs, hands, chest, and back in men as well as women.
Blood Pressure: The levels of blood pressure can change dramatically, on lower as well as higher side, due to usage of steroids as they can raise (and even decrease) the count of red blood cells in the body along with raising the Hematocrit level.
Increased LDL cholesterol: Usage of steroids can lead to ailments as severe as atherosclerosis and heart disease due to a negative shift in triglycerides.
Hypogonadism: Since the human body’s naturally-occurring testosterone is not needed after steroids enter the body, the body discontinues the natural production of testosterone leading to shrinking of the male testicles or hypogonadism.
Reduced HDL cholesterol: The risk of catching coronary ailments is increased when steroids are used by an individual. This is because steroids reduce the count of HDL cholesterol in the body, which is useful for clearing debris from arterial walls.
Liver Toxicity: It is medically proven that anabolic steroids (administered in an oral form) can increase the markers of liver function to cause toxicity.
Addiction: Steroids can result in psychological addiction, which may prove to be very harmful and disturbing for an individual and his near ones.
Increased Aggression: Since steroids are known to elevate levels of blood pressure and restlessness, they can cause a dramatic rise in the levels of aggression.
Fluid Retention: The usage of steroids can cause increase in the levels of sodium retention and estrogen levels, which can result in edema or fluid (water) retention.
Heart Attack or Stroke: Steroid abusers face a greater risk of developing coronary and heart related diseases such as heart attack and stroke.
Enlargement of Prostate: The size of prostate can get enlarged in steroids users as some steroids tend to get converted to Dihydrotestosterone and its variants.
Sexual dysfunction: Steroids can result in sexual dysfunctions such as impotency and loss of libido.
Infertility: An indiscriminate usage of steroids can result in reproductive failures such as impotency and decreased ability to reproduce.
Death: In acute cases, steroid abuse can result in death due to cardiac or renal failure. The death of an individual can also be caused in some other forms due to the usage of steroids.
It is important for all prospective steroid users to know and understand that immediate physical gains should not make them closer to steroids. It is also imperative to note here that trouble with steroids happens mostly when steroid users overlook the possible negative effects of steroids and become steroid abusers from steroid users. One should not forget that there is no point in playing with his own body. It is always better to go for the natural way and not showing a sense of desperateness by looking for immediate but harmful results with steroids when the safe option of natural exercises and bodybuilding is also available without any kind of side-effects.
