ISTANBUL - Anabolic steroids, synthetic substances used to enhance physical performance and muscle mass, may carry severe long-term risks that continue years after usage has ceased, according to two groundbreaking studies presented at the 25th European Congress of Endocrinology.
The studies, conducted by researchers at the Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet and funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, identified that former users of anabolic steroids face an elevated risk of heart disease and a significantly reduced quality of life, with persistent symptoms of fatigue, poor social functioning, and emotional distress.
The researchers used advanced Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography (PET-CT) scans to examine blood flow to the heart in current and former steroid users. The results showed diminished cardiac microcirculation in both groups, even years after the users had stopped taking steroids. These findings indicate a potential new risk factor for cardiovascular disease, directly linked to the past usage of anabolic steroids.
In a parallel study, questionnaires and blood samples were collected from a diverse group of men, revealing that former steroid users had lower testosterone levels and reported a worse quality of life, even after several years of discontinuation.
"Previous studies have shown that the heart function almost normalizes after anabolic steroids are discontinued, but our study suggests that former anabolic steroid users are at an increased risk of heart disease years after stopping," said Dr. Yeliz Bulut, the lead author of the studies.
Dr. Bulut and her team plan to expand these studies, recruiting more men to explore the persisting impact of steroid abuse on a larger scale. The researchers hope that their findings on the long-term health risks of anabolic steroids will discourage men from using these potentially harmful substances.
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