What are the Primary Effects of Anabolic Steroids?
Testosterone-based steroids have two primary effects on the human body. The first is an androgenic effect, meaning a promotion of masculinizing changes in the body (i.e. body hair, body size, and genital changes). The second effect is anabolic, meaning the promotion of protein growth and muscular development. The goal of most steroid medications is to promote more anabolic effects and minimize androgenic effects, thus the term anabolic steroids. The Health Effects of Steroids Anabolic steroids disrupt the delicate balance of hormones in men. The use of anabolic steroids causes the testes gland to react to the increases in testosterone levels in the blood by producing less testosterone on its own. The testes gland gets an incorrect message that it is no longer needed (because of the disruption in the chemical balance). As a result, the testicles shrink and less sperm are produced which may lead to sterility. Because steroids eventually break down into estradiol (a female sex hormone), a
