subject: Highlighting Some Negative Effects of Steroid Use [print this page] The use of anabolic steroids has been observed to be the genesis of some characteristic negative complications. The bodybuilder needs to be able to learn about these complications and avoid rushing into steroid use before fully comprehending what the steroids will offer the body. It is prudent to know about the pros and cons of steroid use. This article intends to highlight some of the lesser known complications that result fro a continued use of steroids.
1. Virilization - the evolution of male characteristics in women. Virile characteristics are developed in women as a result of the use of anabolic steroids. This masculinization occurs due to the increased levels of testosterone in the body. The steroid-using woman is open to developing some unique characteristics that include an increase in the size of external genitals more so the clitoris, the development of excessive bodily and facial hairs which is also known as hirsuitism, possible cases of acne on the body and face, and a possibility of baldness.
Perhaps the most open signal that will give away a lady that is on steroids is a deepened voice that comes as a result of vocal chord enlargement or hypertrophy. This should signal every lady that perhaps it is time to put a hold on the use of steroids. In most cases the side effects in women are reversible upon the cessation of steroid use. As for the voice, this is often permanent though the status quo can be reversed through the 'vocal chords scraping' procedure.
2. The possibility of stunted growth. Evidence to prove that the use of steroids is responsible for stunted growth has been tabled. Stunted growth is mostly denoted by the failure to grow in height. It is mostly prevalent in steroid users whop have not really developed fully such as the teenage griup. These effects are virtually permanent in that the growth areas become sealed off. The closed off regions mostly affect the epiphysial cartilages whoch are important for height regulation. The sealing off is most likely as a resukt of the action of the aromatization process in which the excess androgens in the body are conveeted into estropgen. Then again it is not all steroids that have this effect. There are indeed other steroids that contain height-stimulating hormones.
3. An enlargement of the prostrate gland. Again this is a topic that has been over-sensationalized by the media. The information that is mostly passed on seems to lay the entire blame of prostrate cancer on the use of steroids. While steroids can be responsible for this, a person can reverse these consequences by stopping the use of steroids. Basically, the prostrates begins growing in the teenage years when there is an influx of hormones from the testicles. As one moves to adulthood, the size tends to remain the same despite there being much of the androgens in the body.
The said growth of the prostrate with steroid use is most likely due to a combination of estrogen with the hormone Dihydrotestosterone. There are some preparations including Finasteride that can help to reverse this growth.
