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The adverse effects of AASs fall into 4 primary categories: hepatic, reproductive, cardiovascular, and psychiatric effects.
Today I will cover liver
Impaired excretory function of the liver, resulting in jaundice, has been associated with anabolic-androgenic steroids in a number of therapeutic trials.The possible cause-and-effect nature of this association is strengthened by the observation of jaundice remission after discontinuance of the drug. In studies of athletes using anabolic-androgenic steroids (65 athletes tested), no evidence of cholestasis has been found.
Structural changes in the liver following anabolic steroid treatment have been found in animals and in humans.Conclusions concerning the clinical significance of these changes on a short- or long-term basis have not been drawn. Investigations in athletes for these changes have not been performed, but there is no reason to believe that the athlete using anabolic-androgenic steroids is immune from these effects of the drugs.
The most serious liver complications associated with anabolic-androgenic steroids are peliosis hepatis (blood-filled cysts in the liver of unknown etiology) and liver tumors. Cases of peliosis hepatis have been reported in individuals treated with anabolic-androgenic steroids for various conditions. Rupture of the cysts or liver failure resulting from the condition was fatal in some individuals. In other case reports the condition was an incidental findings autopsy. The possible cause-and-effect nature of the association between peliosis hepatis and the use of anabolic-androgenic steroids is strengthened by the observation of improvement in the condition after discontinuance of drug therapy in some cases. There are no reported cases of this condition in athletes using anabolic-androgenic steroids, but investigations specific for this disorder have not been performed in athletes.
Liver tumors have been associated with the use of anabolic-androgenic steroids in individuals receiving these drugs as a part of their treatment regimen. These tumors are generally benign, but there have been malignant lesions associated with individuals using these drugs. The possible cause-and-effect nature of this association between the use of the drug and tumor development is strengthened by a report of tumor regression after cessation of drug treatment. The 17-alpha-alkylated compounds are the specific family of anabolic steroids indicted in the development of liver tumors. There is one reported case of a 26-year-old male body builder who died of liver cancer after having abused a variety of anabolic steroids for at least four years. The testing necessary for discovery of these tumors is not commonly performed, and it is possible that other tumors associated with steroid use by athletes have gone undetected.
Blood tests of liver function have been reported to be unchanged with steroid use in some training studies and abnormal in other training studies and in tests performed on athletes known to be using anabolic-androgenic steroids. However, the lesions of peliosis hepatis and liver tumors do not always result in blood test abnormalities, and some authors state that liver radioisotope scans, ultrasound, or computed tomography scans are needed for diagnosis.
In summary, liver function tests have been shown to be adversely affected by anabolic-androgenic steroids, especially the 17-alpha-alkylated compounds. The short-and long-term consequences of these changes, though potentially hazardous, have yet to be reported in athletes using these drugs.
Today I will cover liver
Impaired excretory function of the liver, resulting in jaundice, has been associated with anabolic-androgenic steroids in a number of therapeutic trials.The possible cause-and-effect nature of this association is strengthened by the observation of jaundice remission after discontinuance of the drug. In studies of athletes using anabolic-androgenic steroids (65 athletes tested), no evidence of cholestasis has been found.
Structural changes in the liver following anabolic steroid treatment have been found in animals and in humans.Conclusions concerning the clinical significance of these changes on a short- or long-term basis have not been drawn. Investigations in athletes for these changes have not been performed, but there is no reason to believe that the athlete using anabolic-androgenic steroids is immune from these effects of the drugs.
The most serious liver complications associated with anabolic-androgenic steroids are peliosis hepatis (blood-filled cysts in the liver of unknown etiology) and liver tumors. Cases of peliosis hepatis have been reported in individuals treated with anabolic-androgenic steroids for various conditions. Rupture of the cysts or liver failure resulting from the condition was fatal in some individuals. In other case reports the condition was an incidental findings autopsy. The possible cause-and-effect nature of the association between peliosis hepatis and the use of anabolic-androgenic steroids is strengthened by the observation of improvement in the condition after discontinuance of drug therapy in some cases. There are no reported cases of this condition in athletes using anabolic-androgenic steroids, but investigations specific for this disorder have not been performed in athletes.
Liver tumors have been associated with the use of anabolic-androgenic steroids in individuals receiving these drugs as a part of their treatment regimen. These tumors are generally benign, but there have been malignant lesions associated with individuals using these drugs. The possible cause-and-effect nature of this association between the use of the drug and tumor development is strengthened by a report of tumor regression after cessation of drug treatment. The 17-alpha-alkylated compounds are the specific family of anabolic steroids indicted in the development of liver tumors. There is one reported case of a 26-year-old male body builder who died of liver cancer after having abused a variety of anabolic steroids for at least four years. The testing necessary for discovery of these tumors is not commonly performed, and it is possible that other tumors associated with steroid use by athletes have gone undetected.
Blood tests of liver function have been reported to be unchanged with steroid use in some training studies and abnormal in other training studies and in tests performed on athletes known to be using anabolic-androgenic steroids. However, the lesions of peliosis hepatis and liver tumors do not always result in blood test abnormalities, and some authors state that liver radioisotope scans, ultrasound, or computed tomography scans are needed for diagnosis.
In summary, liver function tests have been shown to be adversely affected by anabolic-androgenic steroids, especially the 17-alpha-alkylated compounds. The short-and long-term consequences of these changes, though potentially hazardous, have yet to be reported in athletes using these drugs.
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