Health Topics for Sports Medicine

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

UI Family Care

Anabolic steroids

Doctors use anabolic steroids to treat medical problems such as a low red blood cell count. Anabolic steroids should not be used for anything other than medical purposes. Using steroids for non-medical reasons is not safe because they have many bad side effects.

Some athletes use steroids to add muscle or to improve sports performance. Those that use steroids do so for increased body weight and lean muscle mass. It is believed that steroids increase muscle strength and aid in muscle repair.

Anabolic steroids are banned by the International Olympic Committee and other athletic organizations. Any athlete who uses them does so at the risk of serious side effects. Growing teens using these drugs will not reach their normal adult height. Muscle and joint injuries increase with the use of steroids and acne and baldness may develop. Females taking anabolic steroids may have irregular periods and may gain male traits, such as a deeper voice and an increase in face and body hair.

The most serious effects of steroids are on the liver, the heart, the reproductive organs, and mental health. The liver is at risk for hepatitis and tumors. Blood pressure rises. HDL, the good cholesterol, lowers and LDL, the bad cholesterol, increases. Testicles shrink and the prostate gland enlarges. Sperm production decreases. Behavior changes include aggression, paranoia, mood swings, reduced sexual drive, and depression.

Using anabolic steroids for athletic gain is not only unethical and illegal, it is dangerous to the person's health.

Last Reviewed 2005

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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