# Steroids and Heart Disease



## AChappell (Jun 1, 2011)

Something I put together recently.

Steroids and Heart Disease

The myth about the safety of anabolic steroid abuse has long been perpetuated by pro steroid activists. The lack of deaths associated with steroids abuse is often the first point these people make, usually followed by there's no long term evidence, these drugs are safe if a person knows what they're doing and 40 asprin will kill you. The reality is there will always be an element of risk associated with steroid abuse whether you choose to acknowledge that risk or not.

I always liken it to smoking; one cigarette won't kill you on the spot, but a 40 year habit of 20 per day could see you develop serious health problems and steroids are like that. The side effects someone experience's will be down to the drug protocols, the length of time used and the individual. Like smoking again some will smoke for 40 years and live to 100, but that still doesn't make it healthy. And you'd think the spate of deaths from high profile bodybuilders and wrestlers would switch people onto the fact these drugs kill, (even if it is as part of a ****tail of drugs often seen in the aforementioned deaths).

So what does the literature say about steroids and heart disease?

There are several reviews now available on the subject of steroid abuse and cardiovascular health. Although not all the studies generally agree that steroid abuse leads to adverse effects the general consensuses seems to be that steroid abuse leads is detrimental to cardiovascular health.

Vanberg & Atar made the following points about anabolic steroid abuse and cardiovascular disease :

(1) Use leads to both morphologic and functional changes of the heart.

(2) Abuse induces an increase of blood pressure.

(3) Increases the risk of heart attack by causing an enhanced thrombotic state

(4) Reduced vascular reactivity and the ability to vasodilate.

(5) Alterations in cholesterol metabolism, including a large increase LDL and decreases of HDL.

(6) Probably most frighteningly the use of anabolic steroids appears to confer an increased risk of life-threatening arrhythmia leading to sudden death.

Taken together, various lines of evidence involving a variety of pathophysiologic mechanisms suggest an increased risk for cardiovascular disease in users of anabolic androgenic steroids.

Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2010

Ultimately the decision to use will come down to the individual, but don't bury your head in the sand and pretend there are no risks associated with anabolic steroid abuse.


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## Chrissy....... (Nov 25, 2013)

I do worry most that they affect the heart, I believe its proven that steroids can dangerously change the composition of the left ventricle.

And believe me I'd love to think this wasn't the case.

Everything in life does carry an element of risk though I'm not into living like a nun til I'm 110 lol.


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## AChappell (Jun 1, 2011)

I think I read around 5 or six abstracts last week Chris on left ventricular hypertrophy and steroid abuse. Theres no doubt steroids can change the shape of the heart.

IThese things have risks associated with them just be aware of those risks is all I'm saying.


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## Chrissy....... (Nov 25, 2013)

Absolutely Andy, I think the uneducated average person are led to believe that steroids will kill you ,give you roid rage shrink your willy etc, even documentarys highlight the worst from uneducated abuse.

At the same time users mustn't be naive to the possibilities.


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## EXTREME (Aug 5, 2005)

I've had open heart surgery, suffer from heart failure and have a titanium aorta yet still get test, thyroid and GH on prescription.

Since taking all three my heart has fully recovered and functions like a normal hear albeit with a metal aorta. If all the bullshit was tru I should be worse from taking them.


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## AChappell (Jun 1, 2011)

The flip side to that argument however Extreme is that anabolic use lead to the open heart surgery. Any underlying predisposition you had to heart failure was exacerbated by the steroids and perhaps accelerated the likelihood of your eventual heart failure. I don't think it's fair to say it's bullshit but I'm glad your on the mend


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## EXTREME (Aug 5, 2005)

I'll leave yopu to remove that last post because you have not listened to what I have said in the past or simply don't know what you are talking about in my case.

I was born with a deformed cusp coming off the aorta, a birth defect, my surgeon confrimed anabolic steroids had ZERO effect on this.

Whilst waiting for my heart surgery I read A LOT about the human heart and a lot about anabolic steroids, growth hormone and botanical ergogenics too, partly because it interests me and partly because it's my job.

Anabolic steroids exhibit NO EFFECT on involuntary muscle (intestines, colon etc), NO EFFECT on cardiac muscle either - ANABOLIC STEROIDS ONLY EXHIBIT EFFECT UPON STRIATED MUSCLE TISSUE, that's the ones we can train in the gym.

SOME Anabolic steroids will increase blood pressure due to an increased blood volume and increased red blood cell production, this make the heart work harder.

Some Anabolic steroids can increase colesterol in many people but not all, this can be counteracted by diet though.

Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH) happens in the vast majority of strength athletes, sprinters, wrestlers and any other athlete indulging in intense anaerobic sport - again this is fact. I was suffering terribly from this due to the hole in my heart allowing my heart to pump blood out but then suck a lot of it back in through the hole so my heart increased the size if my left ventricle in an attempt to increase the blood going round my body because only 20% of the blood that should have been going round was in fact making it.

LVH happens worse in bodybuilders because of the increase in muscular strength which allows the body to function at a higher level forcing the heart to respond by enlarging so it's able to supply enough blood to the bodyparts which require it during intense training, this will happen in naturals too to a degree BUT it is not in direct response to steroid use.

Posts like the original post really piss me off, if you want to be natural - be natural. But don't start with the holier than thou bullshit about something you have neither experienced or understand or something that shouldn't matter to you.

I think everyone who uses these products knows there is risk if they are abused but they can be used perfectly safely. Bodybuilding is a freak show, that's why the Olympia has a huge crowd, more watching online and its results occupy magazine space for months and natural shows come an go unnoticed much of the time due to not being freak shows.


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