The Physical Side Effects of Using Steroids for Males

Steroids physically affect the body in a number of ways. Steroids affect males differently than females. The drugs produce different side effects in different people. It is important to know that steroids such as testosterone are produced in the body, and many of the changes produced by steroids are simply amplifying what occurs naturally within the bodies of all people. For example, all men have breasts, but the use of steroids can cause them to become enlarged beyond what is considered normal.

Overall Side Effects

Two of the major side effects of the use of steroids is an increase in both body weight and an increase in strength. These are among the primary reasons that men use steroids. A result of steroid use is muscular hypertrophy, or increase in size, from the stimulation of protein synthesis. This process can help the development of muscle tissue and reduce the amount of recovery time needed after weight lifting. However, some of the negative effects from using steroids include bloating and acne. The steroid user may gain weight, but some of this is attributed to water retention and bloating. Steroids also affect the heart. The heart is a muscle, and steroid usage can causes changes in the heart. One of these changes is a decrease in HDL cholesterol and an increase in LDL cholesterol, resulting in overall raised cholesterol. Many of the physical side effects of steroid use aren't seen by the human eye and affect the body on the inside.

Reproductive Side Effects

Testosterone (a steroid) is naturally produced in the testes of males. When the body is acquiring testosterone from an outside source, it will reduce the amount produced naturally. When this substance is introduced to the body in unnatural amounts and in unnatural ways, it can result in the testicles shrinking, lowered sperm production and impotence. In addition, men may experience enlarged breasts, frequent erections and unusual hair growth and loss. Steroid usage can also lead to an enlarged prostate and can increase the risk of prostate cancer. Men can also experience infertility as a result of steroid usage. In addition, the male sex drive may undergo changes.

Side Effects in the Central Nervous System

In addition to looking different, steroid users will also feel different. Many of these side effects won't manifest themselves to others, but some of them will in some men. Behavioral changes and psychosis are common. This psychosis is drug-induced and results in a loss of contact with reality, leading to poor judgment, violence and impulsive acts. Steroid users will often abuse other substances in an effort to counteract the side effects of steroid usage. Many steroid users will suffer from depression as a result of using the drug. This depression can be so severe as to lead to suicide. Steroid users may be antisocial and avoid contact with other people, even though their steroid usage could improve their appearance in the eyes of others. 

Osteoporosis in Men

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes the skeleton to weaken and the bones to break. It poses a significant threat to millions of men in the United States.

Osteoporosis is called a “silent disease” because it progresses without symptoms until a fracture occurs. It develops less often in men than in women because men have larger skeletons, their bone loss starts later and progresses more slowly, and they have no period of rapid hormonal change and bone loss. However, in the past few years the problem of osteoporosis in men has been recognized as an important public health issue, particularly in light of estimates that the number of men above the age of 70 will continue to increase as life expectancy continues to rise.

How Is Osteoporosis Diagnosed in Men?

Osteoporosis can be effectively treated if it is detected before significant bone loss has occurred. A medical workup to diagnose osteoporosis will include a complete medical history, x rays, and urine and blood tests. The doctor may also order a bone mineral density test. This test can identify osteoporosis, determine your risk for fractures (broken bones), and measure your response to osteoporosis treatment. The most widely recognized BMD test is called a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, or DXA test. It is painless a bit like having an x ray, but with much less exposure to radiation. It can measure bone density at your hip and spine.

It is increasingly common for women to be diagnosed with osteoporosis or low bone mass using a BMD test, often at midlife when doctors begin to watch for signs of bone loss. In men, however, the diagnosis is often not made until a fracture occurs or a man complains of back pain and sees his doctor. This makes it especially important for men to inform their doctors about risk factors for developing osteoporosis, loss of height or change in posture, a fracture, or sudden back pain.

Some doctors may be unsure how to interpret the results of a BMD test in men, because it is not known whether the World Health Organization guidelines used to diagnose osteoporosis or low bone mass in women are also appropriate for men. Although controversial, the International Society for Clinical Densitometry recommends using separate guidelines when interpreting BMD test results in men.

What Treatments Are Available?

Once a man has been diagnosed with osteoporosis, his doctor may prescribe one of the medications approved by the FDA for this disease. The treatment plan will also likely include the nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle guidelines for preventing bone loss listed at the end of this fact sheet.

If bone loss is due to glucocorticoid use, the doctor may prescribe a medication approved to prevent or treat glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, monitor bone density and testosterone levels, and suggest using the minimum effective dose of glucocorticoid.

Other possible prevention or treatment approaches include calcium and/or vitamin D supplements and regular physical activity.

If osteoporosis is the result of another condition (such as testosterone deficiency) or exposure to certain other medications, the doctor may prescribe several anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids are largely used in treatment of testosterone deficiency and are used as a part of testosterone replacement therapy. Thus anabolic steroids had a positive exposure in osteoporosis treatment.

Men's Sex Drive And Age

Age is a dodge. When males are young and full of power, they think that ages of 40 – 60 are very far. When male approaches 40s he thinks it is enough time till he gets 50. However, time runs extraordinarily fast and every man at older age wants to have passionate and faery sex as in youth.

Specialists say males with age suffer from sexual apathy and the number of sexual intercourses get reduced not just in couples who lived many years together but also in young ones. Specialists say that this is a result of sexual revolution of 70s and beginning of feminism that made males feel fear of being accused of sex abuse.

However, there is another opinion that peaceful and comfortable life makes males more weak and womanish because testosterone production lowers.

Some specialists claim that when male has no physiological problems then the problem is hidden in psychology.

Sex without love
Psychologists claim that sex without love based only on physiological satisfaction prevents from true sensations and pleasure, and also weakens male morally and makes him feel empty. However, sometimes male needs to have this sort of sex to blow off, but it is not recommended to have it permanently. Try to avoid sex with occasional partners in your life.

Each person is in want of love and this need must be satisfied. Moreover, allowing yourself romantic feelings you must know how to talk about them without any shame because inability to sound your feelings is considered a psychiatric disorder.

It is not a secret that sexual relations enrich life in many ways. With age people acquire experience. It means with age many things depend on you – if you really want sex you may do it. You must do it.

A woman, that is permanent male sexual partner for years, may arise in him same sexual desire as in youth if she wants it. She must throw away her hang-ups about her age, forget about grumpiness and everyday routine, and should refresh memories about love, soft words, desire to give pleasure to her man and to get pleasure herself from intimacy with her partner.

It is important for the man to feel sure of himself in any domain of his life. So the woman who supports confidence in her man is infinitely right. Remember that doubting in male's abilities greatly cools down sexual desire.