As a fitness trainer, I have many discussions with my clients about performance-enhancing drugs, primarily the significant risks involved.
Many clients are curious because they see other people’s fast and massive muscle gains and know precisely how they got there, leaving them to wonder if they should try steroids too.
The risks of doping with an anabolic steroid are plenty. Still, my focus in sitting down with our medical professional was to learn if there is an increased cancer risk with steroids.
After a lengthy chat and extensive online research, I am ready to share what I learned.
Quick Summary
- The anabolic steroid has been strongly linked to causing cancer over long-term usage.
- Most athletes use anabolic steroids to enhance their performance, and improve their overall appearance.
- Anabolic steroids promotes muscle growth, speeds up recovery, and also supports bone density.
Anabolic Steroid Use and Cancer: Is There a Link?
Yes, there is a link between steroid use and cancer, as underscored by “Adverse Effects of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids: A Literature Review” [1].
Anabolic steroid use may increase the risk of testicular cancer, particularly when combined with increased production of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I), a hormone produced by the liver [2].
Research also continues to determine what impact anabolic steroids have on developing colorectal cancer [3].
Hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common type of liver cancer, is emerging as a rare but significant consequence for those who use anabolic-androgenic steroids [4].
Why Do People Use Them?
People use steroids as performance-enhancing drugs or to improve their appearance, and contrary to popular belief, most are not elite athletes or bodybuilders [5].
Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) represent the synthetic form of the male hormone testosterone, which does several things in the body [6].
The most important functions are:
- Anabolic: supports bone density, promotes muscle growth, and speeds up recovery from injury.
- Androgenic: develops and maintains male characteristics (masculinizing) like muscle gains, deep voice, facial and body hair, testicles, and the penis.
Because the effects of anabolic steroids, like increased muscle strength, happen very quickly, people can train harder for more extended periods.
These effects offer more benefits for strength athletes doing sports like football, weightlifting, or shot put versus sports that require endurance, flexibility, speed, or agility.
Additionally, the androgenic effects are substantial, and people may use steroids as a confidence or self-esteem booster. Some users suffer from muscle dysmorphia, a preoccupation with inadequate or perceived muscle size [7].
It is important to note that steroids have legitimate medical uses to effectively treat diseases that cause muscle tissue damage, like HIV and cancer.
“Common uses for steroids include improving performance in athletics, increasing muscle mass in strength athletes, and preserving muscle mass in those with muscle-wasting diseases.” - Daniel Preiato, RD, CSCS
How Do People Misuse Anabolic Steroids?
Anabolic steroid misuse can be done by either taking tablets or injecting the steroid directly into muscle by as much as 100 times the amount prescribed for valid medical purposes [8].
Standard practices for misusing steroids include the following:
- Cycling: using steroids for a while, stopping, and then restarting their steroid cycle to keep gains
- Stacking: combining two or more different steroids, which can be done orally or by injection
- Pyramiding: slowly increasing a steroid dose or frequency, reaching a peak amount, and then gradually tapering off to zero
- Plateauing: substituting, overlapping, or alternating with another steroid in an attempt to sidestep steroid tolerance
Side Effects
If you use steroids, you must understand the impact on your body [9].
Here are just some ways steroid use can affect the body:
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Liver Tumors
- Suppression of the Immune system
- Enlarged heart
- High blood pressure
- Decreased natural hormone levels
Men:
- Shrinking testicles
- Breast development
- Hair loss/male-pattern baldness
- Decreased sperm count
- Increased risk for prostate cancer
Women:
- Excessive body hair
- Facial hair growth
- Decreased breast size
- Hair loss/male-pattern baldness
- Menstrual cycle changes
- Deepened voice
- Enlarged clitoris
Teens:
- Stunted growth
- Stunted height (if used before a typical teenage growth spurt)
Psychological:
- Aggression
- Mood swings
- Paranoia
- Delusions
- Manic behavior
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Warnings
If you inject steroids, like with recreational drug abuse, and share the needle, there is a tremendous risk of hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV, and vein damage which can lead to ulcers or gangrene [10].
Steroid use increases the risk of developing a rare condition called peliosis hepatis, which causes blood-filled cysts on the liver [11].
Steroids can increase the fat deposits in the blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes [12].
Misusing anabolic-androgenic steroids can progress into the use of other drugs [13].
FAQs
Can Anabolic Steroids Cause Permanent Damage?
Anabolic steroids can cause permanent damage like kidney failure, liver damage, enlarged heart, stroke, and heart attack.
The risk of permanent bodily damage increases for those who use anabolic steroids for long periods at high doses.
Can Anabolic Steroids Shorten Your Life?
Anabolic steroids can shorten your life because they can cause high blood pressure, blood cholesterol changes, kidney and liver problems, and enlarged heart, all of which increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
The risk of life-shortening effects of anabolic-androgenic steroids increases with long-term use and high doses.
So, Does Taking Anabolic Steroids Cause Cancer?
There are numerous risks with steroid use, and cancer could certainly be one of them. These risks do not outweigh any potential benefits.
However, you still have choices in boosting exercise performance or attaining that muscle gain or body composition that don’t include harming your body.
Plenty of great, all-natural legal steroid options doesn’t come with the typical risks of steroids. I’ve used them myself with great results, as many of my clients have.
Check out our list of the best bulking steroids to find the one that suits you the most.
References:
- https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/1/97/htm
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5922407/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31578582/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6558130/
- https://www.addictioncenter.com/stimulants/steroids/symptoms-signs/
- https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/steroids
- https://karger.com/pps/article/89/2/65/283187/Anabolic-Androgenic-Steroid-Use-and-Body-Image-in
- https://medlineplus.gov/anabolicsteroids.html
- https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/anabolic-steroids
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/anabolic-steroid-misuse/
- https://www.webmd.com/men/anabolic-steroids#091e9c5e80007fbe-1-2
- https://nida.nih.gov/sites/default/files/steroids.pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2612649/
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