The use of steroids and anabolic steroids, like any other drugs, leads to some side effects. Therefore, it is important to follow the doctor’s recommendations when taking these medications. In this article, we will tell you about both positive and negative effects of steroids. In addition, you will learn similar information about anabolic steroids.
Steroids effects – benefits of admission this med
There are several types of steroids in the form of drugs – corticosteroids, female hormones and anabolic steroids. Corticosteroids are able to imitate the impact of hormones, which are naturally produced in adrenal glands, located on your kidney top. Besides, the immune system is suppressed under corticosteroids, in particular, prednisone activity. Such suppression can cause the inability of your organism to deal with infections fast and easily. In the same way, these hormones help to stabilize your immune system in case of its over-activity. For example, Prednisone is a great remedy aimed at reducing inflammation of different forms (pain, heat, swelling, and redness). Drugs based on female sex hormones have other effects of steroids. For example, estradiol has a feminizing effect on the body, stimulates the development of the vagina, uterus, and fallopian tubes.
Steroids side effects – what can happen
First, let’s talk about the side effects of oral corticosteroids (pills). A Huge side effect of oral corticosteroids consuming is mostly caused by the fact, that this type of steroids affects the whole body, not its certain areas. The medication dosage also influences side effects occurring, among which are:
- elevation of the eye pressure (glaucoma);
- retention of the fluid, which leads to leg swelling;
- blood pressure increasing;
- different psychological effects, in particular, rapid changes of mood, behavior problems;
- fast gaining of weight, especially on face and neck zones.
The long-term taking of oral corticosteroids may provoke the following steroids side effects:
- increased level of sugar in the blood, which can even lead to diabetes;
- a severe eye disease called cataracts;
- vulnerability to infections;
- osteoporosis (the disease of thinning bones);
- reducing rates of hormones, produced by adrenal glands;
- thick and pale skin, slow healing of injured parts of the body.
While using inhaled corticosteroids, a patient faces the problem of losing a certain amount of inhaled drug, which settles down in his mouth cavity.
In its turn it leads to the following side effects of steroids:
- fungal infection in the mouth (also known as oral thrush);
- hoarseness.
You shouldn’t swallow water when you spray the inhaler into your mouth. It is important to avoid irritation in your mouth after taking inhaled corticosteroids. Some doctors assure that inhaled corticosteroids consumption can be harmful to those children, who treat asthma with the use of this drug, as it can slow children growing. However, it is not scientifically proved.
Negative steroids effects – what to look for
1. Topical corticosteroids side effects. Thin skin, acne, red lesions on the skin – these are some of the problems that you may face when taking these steroids.
2. Injected corticosteroids adverse events. Side effects of using injected corticosteroids are temporal. They include the following problems: loss of normal skin tints, problems with sleeping, skin thinning, facial flushing and the enlarging of sugar rates in the blood. The approach to each situation is individual. According to it, the limitation of corticosteroid injection period prescribed by a doctor can vary from three to four years.
If you take hormonal drugs, for example, estradiol, possible side effects may be a premenstrual syndrome, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, symptoms of cystitis, etc. (in females), and in men – tenderness and sensitivity of the mammary glands, gynecomastia, decreased libido.
Effects of anabolic steroids – what should you expect
Some of the athletes use a separate type of steroids, called anabolic-androgen steroids (you may also call them anabolic steroids), willing to develop a huge strength and grow the mass of muscles in bodybuilding. Anabolic steroids (such as Oxandrolone tablets), among which testosterone is the main one, are produced naturally in our body.
Testosterone impacts our body in two main directions:
1. Anabolic effects of anabolic steroids cause rapid muscle building.
2. Androgenic effects are able to develop some male traits, in particular, the growth of facial hair, louder and deeper voice.
Moreover, anabolic steroids are also aimed at speeding up the process of recovering from intensive and hard training, which allows athletes to work more productively.
Steroids for sale are available on the Internet, however, they aren’t legal pills if they are offered as OTC remedies.
Anabolic side effects – unpleasant circumstances
The main side effects of anabolic steroids include:
- suppression of own synthesis of testosterone (caused, for example, by Trenbolone cycle or Deca Durabolin);
- gynecomastia;
- problems with the liver;
- increased levels of harmful cholesterol in the blood;
- alopecia (especially if there is a genetic predisposition), etc.
- virilization (developing masculine signs, therefore the drugs are better for men than for women);
- atrophy of the testicles (in the case of very long and uncontrolled application).
These are long-term effects of steroids abusing.
Besides, athletes, who take these drugs, are more likely to express unpleasant aggressiveness, which scares people, surrounding them.