| First of all, it’s important to note that there are two different types of side effects. The first type is the “good” side effect is also called a therapeutic effect. These are the effects that tempt women into taking steroids in the first place – the ability of the steroids to help women develop more defined muscles and increase their strength. Along with this, women might notice an increase in self esteem as well as a more effective training regimen because anabolic steroids reduce recovery time for muscles.
The second type of side effect that goes along with steroid use is the list of “bad” effects or toxins. These effects can affect women in various ways – even much more so than they affect men. It’s also important to note that most of these effects are dose dependant which is why it’s important for anyone who chooses to use anabolic steroids to stick with the lowest dosages that give them the desired effects – its the best way decrease the toxin side effects.
Probably the most noticeable side effects of steroids in women are the physical side effects. Yes, women will become leaner and more muscular. What this also means, however, is that she will begin to lose the curves common in most women. Women who use steroids start to develop a more masculine physique with fewer curves and will even experience shrinkage of the breast tissue.
Anabolic steroids cause the body to retain sodium, which causes the user to look “puffy”. Women who use anabolic steroids will also experience an increase in male characteristics such as a deepening of the voice, male pattern baldness and coarse skin. Many of these effects are irreversible even if the drug use is discontinued as soon as the effects appear.
Also noticeable, but not nearly as clear as the physical side effects are the changes in behavior that come along with the use of anabolic steroids. These include possibilities of aggression and anger issues, depressions, mood swings and addiction. It fair to state, however, that researchers don’t know if these noticeable behavior changes are a result of the steroid use or if they were simply “unleashed” due to the bodily changes due to the steroid use – meaning that the tendencies for these behaviors were present before steroid use.
Finally, the least noticeable changes a woman experiences due to steroid use has to do with the physiological changes. These changes are more defined in women than in men because their bodies are not use to having any amounts of testosterone in them. These effects include changes in the reproductive system including a change or cessation of the menstrual cycle. Steroid use can also lead to cervical and endometrial cancer and possibly even eventually infertility.
Other physiological effects include damaging of the liver, increased cholesterol levels, weakened immune system and a possibility for cardiovascular damage or heart attacks. Women who use anabolic steroids also experience problems with their ligaments and tendons because their muscular strength increases so quickly that the ligaments and tendons cannot keep up.
While anyone who uses anabolic steroids may experience negative side effects, women run the risk of experiencing more negative effects than men because their bodies are not used to the levels of testosterone they are subjecting them to. Sources: |
