When Steroids and Bodybuilding Go Wrong
May 12, 2009 by Tisha Tolar
Filed under Health Issues
Bodybuilding and steroid use have been linked since the early 60’s when many competitive bodybuilders were using 
them to be more competitive and achieve more success in the sport. However, many took too many extreme measures and have ultimately paid a price with their health by using steroids.
Why Use Them?
Steroid use and bodybuilding became a popular combination because of the ability for the drugs to improve the size of one’s muscle mass, build their endurance and their strength, and create muscle hardness. These effects were possible because anabolic steroids were able to copy the functioning of testosterone, which naturally aids the body in muscle growth.
Why To Not Use Them
While many may feel that using steroids is not particularly harmful and give them a more competitive edge, the reality is that steroids can have very serious consequences, including fatal ones. While death by steroid cases may not be as common as other side effects, it can happen. The side effects from steroid use can be debilitating and life altering and severely affect your health negatively.
Most notably, one of the most common side effects of steroid use the changes in one’s behavior. Steroid users are often known for their increased irritable moods and aggressive attitudes. Cases of aggressive behavior have lead to more than just ill health effects. There have been incidents of robberies, physical violence, and other unlawful acts of aggression. Even a normally calm, laid-back person can develop into an entirely unrecognizable person after taking anabolic steroids. Additionally, behavioral changes can also include increased sexual arousal, forgetfulness, confused thoughts, and episodes of euphoria.
Physically, anabolic steroids have a negative effect on the cardiovascular system of the body, causing high blood pressure, heart enlargement, cardiovascular disease, and even heart attacks. The blood composition can also change, causing blood clots, heart disease, and other problems with the arteries. If a teenaged individual were to use steroids, there would likely be an interruption in the growth process, resulting in stunted growth issues.
Steroids are typically administered by injection, patches, oral medications, and nasal sprays. As the steroids travel into the body’s blood stream, they will need to visit the digestive system and the liver. Both the digestive system and the liver can suffer damage, including tumors and internal bleeding. Orally taken, there can be issues in the abdomen which can become swollen and lead to chronic issues such as constipation, gas, and water retention. When steroids are taken in large doses, cancer, pelosis hepatitis, and jaundice can develop.
Gender Dangers
Both men and women can develop different issues caused by steroids that are specific to their gender. Mens sex drives can be put into overdrive while their testes can shrink in size. Sperm count can be dramatically lowered, leading to infertility. Men can also develop a condition known as gynecomastia, which causes estrogen deposits in the nipple area and can ultimately grow breasts.
Woman stand a very good chance of becoming much more masculine in appearance due to the high levels of testosterone. Their voice may deepen, their periods might ceases, and they will grow excess body hair including on areas of the face and chest. Loss of hair, including male-pattern baldness is also common. The enlargement of a woman’s clitoris, so much so that it can resemble a small penis, is also a irreversible side effect of steroid use.
While bodybuilding is about achieving a particular look of the body and not as much about actual strength, steroid use is also thought to give people the advantage in strength building because they allow a person to train for longer periods of time and helps aid the recovery period for muscle recovery during training. However, steroid use that leads to abuse can be detrimental to a bodybuilding career or a life in general.
