Using excessive doses of steroids over a continuous period of time will put the user at increased risk of developing negative side effects. Over many years of steroid use, improper organ functions and a change in the individual’s physical appearance can occur.
Despite this, some characteristics of anabolics (e.g., the effect on muscle growth) may be considered favorable. Genetics will play a key role in how the body can tolerate 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 fertility.
For women, after using steroids, there may be a persistent change in voice, irregular menstruation, changes in the skin, 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 there are often painful cramps in the muscles.
The result of adolescent steroid use may be a slowdown in body growth. This is due to the premature closure of the base of the long bones. They will experience less growth than their peers (up to 20-30 centimeters less).
Long-term use of steroids has a negative effect on most internal organs. Oral administration of anabolics burdens the liver, whose function is to eliminate toxic substances. If the blood is saturated with hormones, the liver is unable to eliminate them. We can say that it works “over time”, which can cause inflammation, bile stagnation, bleeding and benign or malignant tumor lesions.
Steroids also affect the circulatory system. They cause high blood pressure, which is accompanied by headaches and visual disturbances. Violation of blood circulation threatens kidney failure, myocardial infarction and even stroke can occur. Anabolics also have a detrimental effect on blood clotting. Decreased blood levels and a change in the proportion of lipids contribute to the development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.
