The use of anabolic steroids can cause serious side effects, including heart failure and depression, for years after the end of your use, a new study showed on Saturday.
According to the studies presented at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Istanbul, anabolic steroids (synthetic hormones that mimic the naturally-occurring sex hormone testosterone), are used to increase muscle mass and boost athletic performance.
These performance-enhancing drugs have negative side effects, such as breast growth, hair loss, decreased testosterone levels, erectile dysfunction, and an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and liver or kidney failure in men.
In the first study, the researchers examined 64 healthy men, between the ages of 18 and 50, who did recreational strength training in Denmark.
Of these men, 28 were using anabolic steroids, 22 were former steroid users, and 14 had never used these steroids.
The researchers used a Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography (PET-CT) scan with the radioactive tracer Rubidium-82 to assess how much blood flowed to their heart muscle while resting and exercising and discovered that both former and current users had poor blood flow to the heart.
The findings indicate that former steroid users are more likely to develop heart disease when compared to those who have never used them, said the study.
"Previous studies have shown that the heart function almost normalises after anabolic steroids are discontinued, but our study suggests that former anabolic steroid users are at an increased risk of heart disease years after stopping as cardiac microcirculation -- the blood flow through the smallest vessels in the circulatory system -- seems persistently impaired," said lead author Dr Yeliz Bulut.
Moreover, Dr Bulut and colleagues conducted another study in which they collected questionnaires and blood samples from three groups of men aged 18-50 years: 89 current anabolic steroid users, 61 former steroid users, and 30 men who had never used steroids before.
The study found that former anabolic steroid users report a worse quality of life on their physical and mental health, such as fatigue, social functioning and emotional well-being, despite stopping years earlier.
"Our study adds to the growing body of literature that an impaired quality of life in previous anabolic steroid users seems to persist years following cessation and could be caused by both withdrawal and/or hypogonadal symptoms due to a sudden drop in testosterone levels in the blood," said Dr Bulut.
Manipur: Gun battle breaks out among village volunteers of rival groups
Police said that several armed cadres of village volunteers opened indiscriminate fire on Koutruk village in the periphery of Imphal Valley from the adjoining hills in Kangpokpi district, and the armed village volunteers of rival ethnic groups retaliated.
2 CRPF personnel killed in attack by armed group in Manipur
Two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, including a Sub Inspector, were killed and two others have been injured after armed groups attacked a camp of security forces in Manipur’s Bishnupur district early on Saturday, police said.
New immunotherapy to fight cancer, keep healthy cells safe
A team of US researchers has developed a new immunotherapy technique that uses cytokine proteins as a potential treatment, effectively targeting tumours without causing harm to healthy cells.
Tripura records highest 79.83 pc voter turnout in Northeast
Tripura witnessed around 79.83 per cent voter turnout registered till 5 p.m. in the Tripura West Lok Sabha seat on Friday in the first of the seven-phased general polls, as per the data provided by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Amid sporadic incidents of violence, Manipur's two LS seats record 68 per cent voting
Amidst stray incidents of violence, including vandalisation of polling booths, firing, and clashes, around 68 per cent of 15.44 lakh voters cast their votes in two Lok Sabha seats (one partially) in ethnic violence-hit Manipur on Friday, officials said.
Why excess sugar, oil are as dangerous for liver as alcohol
While alcohol is known to be bad for liver health, consuming foods rich in sugar and oil may be equally dangerous for the organ as well as for overall health, said doctors on Thursday, ahead of World Liver Day.
Congress in Tripura blocks rail stations to protest police fired-killing of 5 farmers in MP
The firing on Tuesday came during raucous protests to demand better crop prices in the drought-ravaged region that saw one farmer suicide every five hours in the past two years.
DMs, SPs of violence-hit MP districts transferred
The farmers agitation entered its eighth day on Thursday. The peasants have been on strike since June 1, demanding loan waiver and fair price for their produce.