7 Scary Consequences of Taking Steroids
That’s right: The truth is that these substances can provide extraordinary results in the development of the body, which is why they are used in the treatment of various disorders in this field.
However, the side effects are so numerous and so severe that the use of anabolic steroids by people who do not need them is certainly not recommended.
The main reason people opt for anabolic steroids is the hope of gaining a lot of muscle mass in a short time
Is this the case for you? Then, before you start using them, understand how they work:
How an anabolic steroid works?
Anabolic steroids work by penetrating the nucleus of cells, where they cause changes in gene expression, that is, in the metabolic mechanisms determined by DNA.
These changes are in the direction of the changes normally caused by testosterone, so that anabolic steroids increase, for example, protein synthesis.
Increased protein synthesis directly promotes muscle growth, in the same way, that testosterone does. This growth, in this case, is concentrated in the muscles of the upper body.
Furthermore, anabolic steroids are able to block the effects of cortisol on muscle tissue. Since this hormone is responsible for stimulating the body to consume muscle to produce energy, anabolic steroids offer extremely significant protection.
In this sense, anabolic steroids live up to their name by favoring anabolism, i.e., the synthesis of complex molecules consuming energy, and hindering the processes of catabolism, i.e., the consumption of complex molecules for energy production.
Further, anabolic steroids also have the effect of reducing body fat levels. By increasing the basal metabolic rate, that is, the minimum amount of energy the body expends to maintain vital functions, anabolic steroids make it much easier to lose fat.
If you want to get results of anabolic steroids without side effects you can check legal anabolic steroids alternatives like BrutalForce or Crazy Bulk.
That said, let’s list the 7 scary consequences of taking anabolic steroids:
1. Acne
Steroids destroy your skin in two ways. First, they increase oiliness to intensify the production of more fat and cholesterol, which makes your skin look greasier.
At the same time, they also induce your skin to speed up the production of bacteria, explains the director of the Center for Sports Medicine at the New York Institute of Technology College. And this combination can clog your pores and lead to pimples.
Acne caused by steroids can be severe, which increases the risk of permanent scarring.
2. Increase in blood pressure
The hormones in steroids cause your body to retain sodium and fluid in a matter of days. This puts extra stress on your blood vessels, which can lead to high blood pressure.
In fact, when researchers measured the blood pressure of regular steroid users, their numbers averaged 8 to 10 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) higher than individuals not taking steroids. That may not sound like much, but over time the effect can be frightening.
Chronically high blood pressure can cause your heart muscles to stiffen, which can lead to heart disease or heart failure.
And while the effects can be reversed within a few days of stopping the steroids, if your heart muscle has already suffered damage, this can lead to a permanent increase in diastolic blood pressure, because your heart needs to work harder to pump blood through your body.
3. Increased risk of heart attack
In addition to raising blood pressure, steroids can increase your LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower your HDL (good) cholesterol.
Both of these things cause atherosclerosis (when your arteries become narrower), which can lead to a heart attack. This is because steroids alter the production of hepatic triglycerides, an enzyme in the liver that is responsible for regulating cholesterol.
Experts can’t say for sure how long you need to take steroids to increase your risk of a heart attack. But findings published in the journal Circulation show that men who lift weights and regularly use steroids for more than two years showed irreversible damage to their arteries.
4. Aggressive behavior
Steroids make your fuse short and make you very aggressive. They can actually make you into another person because they will make you much more anxious.
Researchers at the University of Dartmouth have found that they make you defensive all the time because of the excess testosterone that jolts your central nervous system and suppresses the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is responsible for the “good vibes” feeling. As a result, you are more likely to feel angry or stressed.
5. Breast growth
You may think it’s a lie, but unfortunately, it’s true: Steroids increase the size of your breasts – and they do it very quickly. This is because certain enzymes in the body can convert testosterone into estradiol (a form of estrogen), which promotes the growth of breast tissue.
Worse yet, the results will be permanent, even if you quit anabolic steroids. Once your breast tissue expands, it will never return to its original size.
6. Hair loss
You may notice that your hair will start to fall out within weeks or months of starting steroids. High testosterone levels are the hormonal factor that induces alopecia, or baldness. And since anabolic steroids make you produce testosterone on the fly, they often cause hair loss.
In fact, testosterone is so good at causing hair loss that medications to restore the problem usually work by blocking the hormone. And once your hair is gone, it won’t come back.
7. Infertility
All that extra testosterone from steroids can reduce your sperm count. Very high levels of the hormone can suppress the production of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone, which tells the testes to produce sperm.
Problems with sperm production affect about half of all steroid users, estimates the National Institute on Drug Abuse. This problem will reverse itself eventually when you quit anabolics, but it may take months or even years for things down there to get back to normal.
So, is it worth it?
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Roger Kruger
Roger is an editor at Dietarious.com, he is passionate about dieting, bodybuilding, and weight loss supplements.
