What Are the Side Effects of Steroids?

Using excess doses of steroids over a continuous period of time will put the user at a higher risk for the onset of negative side effects.  Over many years of steroid use, improper functions of organs may take place as well as a change in the physical appearance of the individual. Despite this, some features of anabolics (for example, the effect on muscle growth) can be considered favorable. Genetics will play a key role in how the body can tolerate any and all steroids that are injected or ingested.

• In men, steroids cause a short-term increase in sexual desire, when there is a decrease in the amount of testosterone produced. Compression of the testicles can occur, which can threaten your fertility.
• For women, after the use of steroids, there can be a persistent change in their voices, irregular menstruation, skin changes and hair growth on the body and face.
• In both sexes, high doses of anabolics cause gynecomastia (breast growth), pimples can appear on the skin leaving permanent scars and often there are painful cramps in the muscles.
• The result of the use of steroids by adolescents can be a slowdown in the growth of the body. This is due to the premature closure of the base of the long bones. They will experience lower growth than their peers (up to 20-30 centimeters less).
• Long-term use of steroids have a negative effect on most internal organs.  Oral administration of anabolics loads the liver, which task is to remove toxic substances. If the blood is saturated with hormones, the liver is not able to remove them. We can say that it working ‘over-time’, which can lead to inflammation, stagnation of bile, bleeding, as well as benign or malignant tumor lesions.
• Steroids also affect the circulatory system. They cause high blood pressure, which is accompanied by headaches and visual impairment. Violation of blood circulation threatens renal failure, myocardial infarction and even strokes can occur.  Anabolics also have a detrimental effect on blood clotting. Lowering blood levels and changing the ratio of lipids contributes to the development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.