What are the health risks of using anabolic steroids?
Experts warn of many possible health risks, including high blood pressure, acne, liver damage, infertility, mood swings, cancer, premature heart attacks and strokes, stunted growth (caused by premature closing of growth plates in adolescents), male pattern baldness, impotence, psychotic episodes, growth of breasts in men, growth of facial and body hair among women, and shrinking of breasts in women. Dr. Gary Wadler, NYU School of Medicine professor and lead author of Drugs and the Athlete, warns that unsupervised use, “megadosing,” and combining different steroids can lead to irreversible side-effects, some of which may not develop until years after an athlete stops taking steroids. What are the arguments against allowing athletes to use steroids? • Athletic competition should be fair. Some athletes shouldn’t have an advantage over the rest. • Steroids carry health risks. If some athletes use them, that puts pressure on others to use them, too, or they’ll be competing at a disadvantage
