Side effects of anabolic steroids

Regularly taking anabolic steroids causes a range of male features, not just increased muscle mass. It can also lead to potentially dangerous medical conditions, such as high blood pressure (hypertension) or heart attacks . Physical effects Effects of anabolic steroids in men can include: reduced sperm count infertility shrunken testicles erectile dysfunction baldness breast development increased risk of developing prostate cancer severe acne stomach pain In women, anabolic steroids can cause: facial hair growth and body hair loss of breasts swelling of the clitoris a deepened voice an increased sex drive problems with periods hair loss severe acne In addition, both men and women who take anabolic steroids can develop any of the following medical conditions: heart attack or stroke liver or kidney tumours high blood pressure (hypertension) blood clots fluid retention high cholesterol Psychological effects Misusing anabolic steroids can also cause the following psychological or emotional effects: aggressive behaviour mood swings manic behaviour hallucinations and delusions Stuntedgrowth in adolescents Anabolic steroids accelerate bone growth, so if they're misused by adolescents who haven't yet had the growth spurt associated with puberty , the drugscan cause premature ageing of the bones and restricted growth . Sharing needles As anabolic steroids are often injected, there are risks associated with sharing needles. These are the same risks associated with recreational drug use, and include: damage to veins, leading to ulcers or gangrene hepatitis B infection hepatitis C infection HIV transmission