What makes steroids dangerous

This is a mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about flaws in their appearance. These flaws are often unnoticeable to others. Boys and men who have body dysmorphic disorder may take anabolic steroids because they don't see themselves as being physically big enough or strong enough. Some people believe taking anabolic steroids will help them become fit and healthy.

This isn't true: taking anabolic steroids is a dangerous drug habit. Anabolic steroids are usually injected into the muscle or taken by mouth as tablets, but they also come as creams or gels that are applied to the skin.

Many people who use anabolic steroids are aware of the dangers of taking them, and believe that by taking the drugs in certain ways they can avoid side effects. But there is no evidence that any of these methods actually reduce side effects from taking anabolic steroids. Users tend to exercise more when they're taking high doses to make the most of their improved performance during this time.

Regularly taking anabolic steroids can lead to physical and psychological changes in both men and women, as well as potentially dangerous medical conditions. In addition, both men and women who take anabolic steroids can develop any of the following medical conditions:. Misusing anabolic steroids can also cause the following psychological or emotional effects:.

Anabolic steroids accelerate bone growth, so if they're misused by adolescents who haven't yet had the growth spurt associated with puberty , the drugs can cause premature ageing of the bones and restricted growth. As anabolic steroids are often injected, there are risks associated with sharing needles. These are the same risks associated with recreational drug use, and include:.

Like many other substances, anabolic steroids are addictive. This means you can crave the drug, require more to get the same effect, and have withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop taking them. A person who is addicted to anabolic steroids will want to keep using them despite experiencing unpleasant physical side effects. Most data on the long-term effects of anabolic steroids in humans come from case reports rather than formal epidemiological studies.

Serious and life-threatening adverse effects may be underreported, especially since they may occur many years later.

One review found 19 deaths in published case reports related to anabolic steroid use between and ; however, many steroid users also used other drugs, making it difficult to show that the anabolic steroid use caused these deaths. Steroids contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease partly by increasing the level of low-density lipoprotein LDL 47 and decreasing the level of high-density lipoprotein HDL. If blood is prevented from reaching the heart or brain, the result can be a heart attack or stroke, respectively.

Steroids also increase the risk that blood clots will form in blood vessels, potentially disrupting blood flow and damaging the heart muscle, so that it does not pump blood effectively. Steroid use disrupts the normal production of hormones in the body. Changes that can be reversed include decreased sperm production, 56—59 decreased function of the testes hypogonadism that leads to low testosterone levels, 60 and shrinking of the testicles testicular atrophy.

In females, anabolic steroids cause masculinization. Specifically, breast size and body fat decrease, the skin becomes coarse, and the voice deepens.

Ali Mohamadi, M. The abuse of anabolic steroids can cause both temporary and permanent injury to anyone using them. Teenagers, whose bodies are still developing, are at heightened risk. An alarming number of them are trying steroids in hopes of improving their athletic prowess or their appearance. A: They are drugs that mimic the actions of the male sex hormone testosterone.

This includes promoting the growth of cells, especially in muscle, and maintaining or increasing male physical characteristics.

Various studies have been conducted and generally reflect the findings of a Youth Risk and Behavior Surveillance System study, which estimated that among U. A: They are known to have a range of serious adverse effects on many organ systems, and in many cases the damage is not reversible.

They include fertility problems, impotence, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and heart and liver abnormalities. Boys may experience shrinkage of the testes or the development of breast tissue; girls may experience menstrual irregularities and development of masculine qualities such as facial and body hair.

Both may experience acne. Both boys and girls may also experience mood swings and aggressive behavior, which can impact the lives not only of those taking steroids, but of everyone around them.