Effect of T and AAS on the size of sebaceous glands in power athletes (1987)

[madman]

Abstract

The effect of testosterone and anabolic steroids on the size of sebaceous glands was studied by means of interactive morphometry in skin biopsies of power athletes. The subjects used self-administered high doses of testosterone and anabolic steroids during a 4-week strength training period. After 4 weeks' use of hormones, the area of sectioned sebaceous glands enlarged significantly by a factor of 89.2% (p less than 0.005). The number of cells in the so-called differentiating cell pool (DCP) and in the undifferentiated cell pool (UCP) also increased significantly (p less than 0.025, p less than 0.05, respectively). The size of the area occupied by UCP cells increased significantly (p less than 0.05). The study suggests that high doses of testosterone and anabolic steroids lead to an enlargement of sebaceous glands in male power athletes.

Contrary to what has been stated in numerous texts (4-7), our results show that under physiological conditions the sebaceous glands were not maximally stimulated in our subjects. It is probable that exogenous testosterone and anabolic steroids can further stimulate and enlarge the sebaceous glands in young healthy males. This size change parallels the functional activity of the glands under similar conditions (8).

 

[madman]

FIG.2.A: Longitudinal section of a hair follicle-associated sebaceous gland on the back skin of a male athlete before starting the period of testosterone and anabolic steroid use. This is the largest section of the gland among the serial sections cut from the sample. B: The transected gland in this micrograph is from the back skin of an athlete after 4 weeks' use of testosterone and anabolic steroids. The gland is dramatically enlarged. Notice that the magnifications are identical in FIG .2 and b. (vanGieson-iron hematoxylin stain, Magnification 135X.)

 

[DorianGray]

Some are more predisposed to sebaceous hypertrophy than others. So, I wonder if the effect is universal or only evident in those more inclined. Wondering what the breadth of the study was and other patient selection criteria.