| It’s important to note for anyone who wants to use steroids that many of the side effects resulting from steroid use are not easily visible because they are changes that happen inside the body and the signs of these changes are apparently until irreversible damage has been done. That’s why it’s so important for anyone who is going to use steroids to know about the possible side effects as well as to get regular blood work and physical examinations so that they can decrease their risk of doing irreversible damage to their health.
Some of the side effects that may not be noticeable right away and that can cause irreversible health damage include high blood pressure (which can lead to heart disease), liver damage (including cancer), stroke and blood clots, digestive problems such as recurrent diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, headaches, joint aches and muscle cramps. People who use steroids might also experience problems sleeping and an increased risk for injury. Problems that don’t necessarily indicate health problems but that are undesirable just the same include acne and premature balding.
Because steroids are actually hormones relating to gender (testosterone is the male sex hormone) men also experience problems related to their sex organs and gender characteristics. These include a reduced sperm count (even as far as being considered infertile), impotence and an enlarged prostate. Generally, these effects will go back to “normal” once the user stops using steroids, but the longer they’ve used steroids the longer it will take for the body to return to it’s original state. Because of the mix of hormones in steroids, men might also notice gynocomastia, which is the appearance of female sex characteristics on males. Most often this is the appearance of breast tissue. If the steroids are stopped as soon as gynocomastia appears there may not be any permanent effects, but sometimes the only way to treat gynocomastia is through surgical removal of the extra tissue.
Steroids are also thought to cause, in some occasions, emotions and psychological side effects such as severe aggression (known as ‘roid rage’), mood swings, hallucinations, paranoia, panic attacks and depression or suicidal tendencies – these are often attributed to the changes caused by having levels of testosterone that are much higher than the normal amounts in the body.
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