Anabolic-androgenic steroids side effects occur in two overlapping variations. The term 'anabolic' means that they promote anabolism which is the growth of body cells. Being androgenic or what medics call virilizing means that they interrupt or modify the natural development of masculine characteristics.



Anabolic effects that are a consequence of steroid induced hormones include an increased rate of synthesizing proteins from amino acids, an increased perpetual appetite, increased development and restructuring of the body bone outlay and stimulation and amplification of bone marrow to produce greater numbers of red blood cells.

Androgens like testosterone have numerous biochemical functions. They affect such processes as production of oil in the sebaceous gland, pubertal growth, and sexual reproduction processes like sperm and ova development or fetal growth. Virilizing effects are basically growth and development of the female clitoris and male children's penis. To a large extent also, virilizing causes the growth of androgen-sensitive hair in the pubic region, beard, chest and limb hair.

This is coupled by an increased size of the vocal cord, a deepening of the voice. Chemical constituents of androgenic steroids greatly increase sexual libido while simultaneously suppressing natural sex hormones and impairing production of healthy sperms in males.

A minimal combination of these counter effects, anabolic steroids eventually stimulate and alter formation of muscles usually exhibited by an increased size of muscle fibers. This is the chemical explanation to how steroids use successfully leads to a speedy increase of muscle mass and strength. The muscle size and strength is mostly a consequence of larger and firm skeletal muscles.

Both an increase in production of muscle proteins and the marked decline of the rate of breakdown of these proteins causes an increase of muscle size and power.

If a steroid user injects himself with a high dose of testosterone, he instructs his body's chemical reactions to decrease fat content in muscles and simultaneously increase the protein content. Anabolic steroids do decrease fat content by increasing the rate of basal metabolism just an increase in muscle size, does eventually increase BMR.

Most of the above chemical reactions and their assorted side effects are more often than not dose-dependent. One of the most common repercussions being elevated blood pressure especially in those individuals with a pre-existing condition of hypertension. But the most harmful bodily chemical imbalances are of cholesterol levels. Steroids continued use causes steep increase LDL cholesterol and a steep decrease in HDL cholesterol.

Medical research has shown that anabolic steroids alter the body's blood sugar and fine glucose tolerance tests. Anabolic steroids stimulate the sebaceous glands due to increased testosterone levels and therefore increase the probability of severe cardiovascular or coronary artery malfunctions. When testosterone is converted to dihydrostosrerone, the converse effect is a predisposition to a worsening rate of premature baldness.