Disadvantages to Steroids

Steroids are man-made substances related to male hormones to enhance muscle building and masculine characteristics.  These drugs are illegal, but still used by many athletes and body builders and even coaches of high schools enforce use of athletic teens.  Over time, these drugs cause serious health problems and many are irreversible.  These drugs are taken a period of time, called cycling.  This process involves taking multiple doses over a specific period of time, stopping for a period and starting up again. 

What are the side-effects of Steroid use?

Aggression, uncontrollable mood-swings, and psychiatric side effects are the most common side effects of steroids.  Many people feel good when using steroids but continuous use may lead to violence and manic-like symptoms.  Depression is seen when use of the steroids is stopped, which is why most users become dependant on steroids.  Steroid users suffer from irritability, delusions, jealously, paranoia, and impaired judgment on others.  Some steroid users begin turning to other dangerous drugs, such as heroin and opiates, to deal with the pain of steroid use. 

There are some gender-specific side effects as well:

• Male users – Shrinking of the testicles, infertility due to low sperm count, baldness, breasts increase in size and increased risk for prostate cancer.
• Female users – Facial hair growth, male-patterned baldness, menstrual cycle becomes unpredictable, enlargement of clitoris and deeper voice.
• Teenage users – Growth becomes halted, accelerated puberty which could cause teenagers to remain short from premature skeletal maturation if taken before their adolescent growth spurt.

Continued steroid abuse can pose harmful health risks as well, including a great chance of contracting HIV from needle injections.  Users can inject intramuscularly or ingest them in liquid or pill form, as well as absorb through topical creams.  More health risks including suffering from a stroke, liver failure or heart attack. 

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