Conventional information about steroids and their effects on people normally come out in a string of half-truths, especially when it comes to the professional athletes of this world. Some are unable to see that the potential benefits of steroid abuse are overshadowed by the eventual side effects, and when it comes to anabolic steroids most of these side effects occur internally rather than externally.
Taking a look at some of the common side effects of steroidal abuse in both men and women, we can find some quite striking and sometimes bizarre incidences. First of all, looking at the side effects in men we can find occurrences of reduced sperm count, sometimes up to an incredible ninety percent and quite often this ends up a permanent situation. Another problem is impotence, which is frequently total. Breast development may occur because by using anabolic steroids, the amount of oestrogen in a man’s body increases. This is actually one of the most common side effects of steroid abuse. Shrinking or swelling of the testicles can occur and could cause obvious problems, especially with the swelling, which can cause infections. One last effect we could mention is the pain that is often associated with urinating, and as most people urinate a few times a day at least, this can become very stressful.
Women can be affected in different ways as well. Some of these include the growth of facial hair, breast size reduction, changes to the menstrual cycle and the deepening of the voice. Some side effects could affect both men and women , including feeling bloated all the time, potential liver damage, weakened tendons, rapid weight gain, development of acne, high cholesterol levels which could lead to heart attacks and strokes, and lastly, potential blood clotting disorders.
In adolescents, steroids have been known to stop growth prematurely, as well as causing psychological disorders and severe mood swings. These can range from suicidal depression to severe irritability, and sometimes even the feeling of being invincible. The latest research even suggests that long-term steroid abuse could lead to the classic characteristics normally associated with addiction, and these can include having cravings, finding it difficult to stop steroid use and classic withdrawal symptoms.
Some people use Human Growth Hormones (HGH) for similar effects to anabolic steroids, but while HGH doesn’t have the major side effects like anabolic steroids do, they have some minor ones. HGH has many of the advantages linked with anabolic steroids but unlike these steroids, HGH doesn’t show up in steroid tests. HGH is also much simpler to absorb into the body without having the need to inject and is also much easier to obtain, rather than trying to buy steroids.
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