Steroids side effects the body by enhancing the natural process of muscle building. The key to building muscle is protein synthesis and cellular repair. Skeletal muscle is made up of small fibers chains containing proteins. Bundles of thousands of fibers make up the muscle itself when an athlete engages in a heavy workout this structure is damaged causing micro tears in the muscle fibers. The body naturally repairs this damage by mending the torn fibers. The result is a muscle thats larger and stronger than before. And with each additional workout the athlete adds bulk, strength and speed. With steroids muscle repair can come faster, much faster.
For unknown reasons when an athlete trains intensely natural testosterone levels in the body drop precipitously sometimes to that of a castrated man. The body also releases another hormone called glucocorticoids to reduce inflammation but glucocorticoids have a second effect they are catabolic meaning they break down muscle tissue. It’s a double whammy against the muscle, a drop in testosterone and an increase in muscle wasting hormone. Its speculated that steroids effect the hormone imbalance in two ways
Steroid side effects
- They replenish testosterone levels after a workout accelerating muscle repair
- They block the muscle wasting effects of The result is a muscle that quickly gets bigger and stronger for athletesinhibiting these two roadblocks to muscle building provides a huge advantage.
Men may experience a number of short term cosmetic changes. They can include severe acne on the back as well as on the face. Gynecomastia, the accumulation fat under the nipples causing the breast to swell. And lastly testicular atrophy, the shrinking of the testicles to half their normal size.
For Women the androgenic or masculinizing side effects are more pronounced including male pattern baldness, growth of facial hair and even a permanent deepening of the voice. The breasts may also shrink and the clitoris enlarge.
On the outside a steroid user might just look bigger more masculine. Doctors believe that one type of oral steroid side effects has been linked to tumors and cancers of the liver. Others have suffered a rare condition call peliosis hepatitis where blood filled cysts form on the liver and can rupture causing internal bleeding. Some studies also suggest that tumors can form on the kidneys decreasing function. As the body loses its ability to filter the blood toxins build up leading to fluid retention increased blood pressure and eventually kidney failure. But even more alarming is the effect of steroids on the heart. Steroids can dramatically alter cholesterol levels increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke. For years doctors have suspected a link between steroids and heart disease. Steroids lower the level of HDL cholesterol in the blood stream also known as good cholesterol. Doctors believe HDL protects the cardiovascular system from heart disease. While steroid users may look perfectly healthy on the outside the inside can tell a different story. Steroids can also dramatically raise bad cholesterol or LDL. This can cause the hardening of the arteries and a significant build of plaque along the artery wall. As plaque clogs the artery, blood flow is restricted if left unchecked it can cause a heart attack. If any plaque breaks off it could lodge in smaller blood vessels causing a heart attack or stroke.
