Deleterious effects of anabolic steroids on serum lipoproteins, blood pressure, and liver function in amateur body builders

• Published in: International journal of sports medicine Vol. 9; no. 1; p. 19
• Main Authors: Lenders, J W, Demacker, P N, Vos, J A, Jansen, P L, Hoitsma, A J, van 't Laar, A, Thien, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01.02.1988
• Subjects: Adult; Anabolic Agents - administration & dosage; Anabolic Agents - adverse effects; Bilirubin - blood; Blood Pressure - drug effects; Doping in Sports; Humans; Lipoproteins - blood; Liver - drug effects; Male; Self Administration; Sports; Transaminases - blood; Weight Lifting
• ISSN: 0172-4622; 1439-3964
• DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1024972

The effects of self-administered anabolic steroids (AS) on lipoproteins, liver function, and blood pressure were studied in male amateur body builders. Twenty body builders were studied at the end of a course of AS (group 1) and 42 body builders were studied after discontinuation of the AS for a mean of 5 months (group 2). Sixteen body builders were studied after discontinuation of AS for at least 2 months and at the end of a 9-week course of AS (group 3). A group of 13 body builders who never used AS served as a control group. Both groups 1 and 2 showed higher levels of transaminas and a higher systolic blood pressure than the controls (P less than 0.05). Group 3 showed an increase of the transaminases an a slight but significant increase of systolic blood pressure (+3 mm Hg) and heart rate (+7 bts/min) after one course of AS (P less than 0.05). Group 1 showed a considerably lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) (P less than 0.001), a higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) (P less than 0.05), and a lower apoprotein A-l/B ratio (Apo A-l/ApoB) (P less than 0.001) than the controls and group 2. The ratio of LDLC/HDLC in group 1 was fourfold higher than in the controls (P less than 0.01). In group 3 HDLC decreased from 1.18 +/- 0.05 to 0.60 +/- 0.08 mmol/l (P less than 0.001) and LDLC increased from 3.97 +/- 0.39 to 5.74 +/- 0.71 mmol/l (P less than 0.01).