Most steroid users are males who are appearance conscious. They are not pro or amateur athletes or illicit drug users. And they aren’t high school kids trying to become better athletes. In fact, they could be called excessively appearance conscious males, who live very healthful lifes. Male steroid use has been called the male equivalent of female plastic surgery.
It is certainly likely to be less harmful than plastic surgery, but for the strange laws passed by our Congress that put users too easily into the legal category of drug-pushers.
How effective and how harmful is steroid use? It is hard to find good studies, but I came upon this 1996 New England Journal of Medicine study of steroids and exercise.
So, where are all the ill effects of steroids that proponents of laws governing their use claim? The study shows no ill effects of steroid use, but for a very slight increase in acne in three users, while one non-user had the same experience. Two steroid users experienced some pain in their breasts. Total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides did not change for any group with the exception of a decrease in HDL in the exercise plus placebo group. What was in the placebo? This is contrary to most studies that show an increase in HDL from exercise. There were no differences in liver enzymes or related measures. There were no differences in mood or anger This was only a 6 week trial, longer term steroid use may or may not differ in consequences.
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Most steroid users are males who are appearance conscious. They are not pro or amateur athletes or illicit drug users. And they aren’t high school kids trying to become better athletes. In fact, they could be called excessively appearance conscious males, who live very healthful lifes. Male steroid use has been called the male equivalent of female plastic surgery.
It is certainly likely to be less harmful than plastic surgery, but for the strange laws passed by our Congress that put users too easily into the legal category of drug-pushers.
How effective and how harmful is steroid use? It is hard to find good studies, but I came upon this 1996 New England Journal of Medicine study of steroids and exercise.
So, where are all the ill effects of steroids that proponents of laws governing their use claim? The study shows no ill effects of steroid use, but for a very slight increase in acne in three users, while one non-user had the same experience. Two steroid users experienced some pain in their breasts. Total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides did not change for any group with the exception of a decrease in HDL in the exercise plus placebo group. What was in the placebo? This is contrary to most studies that show an increase in HDL from exercise. There were no differences in liver enzymes or related measures. There were no differences in mood or anger This was only a 6 week trial, longer term steroid use may or may not differ in consequences.
(more…)