Mortality Three Times Higher in Anabolic Steroid Users

[Jinzang]

A study of steroid users at Danish fitness centers found increased use of hospital services as well as increased mortality over a seven year period. The abstract says:

"In this retrospective matched cohort study, 545 male subjects tested positive for AAS in Danish fitness centres during the period 3 January 2006 to 1 March 2018. Subjects were matched with 5450 male controls. In addition, 644 men who were sanctioned because they refused to submit to a doping test and 6440 controls were included as a replication cohort.

"Mortality was three times higher amongst users of AAS [anabolic steroids] than amongst nonuser controls (hazard ratio 3.0, 95% CI 1.3–7.0). The median annual number of hospital contacts was 0.81 in the cohort of AAS users and 0.36 in the control cohort (P < 0.0001). Acne, gynaecomastia and erectile dysfunction affected more than 10% of the androgenic anabolic steroid users, and the prevalence of these disorders was significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.0001). The results could be replicated in a similar cohort.

"Androgenic anabolic steroid users have an increased risk of dying and significantly more hospital admissions than their nonuser peers. Side effects of AAS and their metabolites were highly prevalent. Given the high rate of androgenic anabolic steroid abuse, these side effects are of public health concern."

 

[Airborne Warrior]

So if you take steroids you're three times more likely to die? I find this very hard to believe to be honest.

 

[Jinzang]

I believe the widespread belief in the fitness community that saturated fat doesn't matter plus the fact that anabolic steroids worsen cholesterol ratios is responsible.

 

[DragonBits]

jinzang, I suppose the relevant question is if TRT is included in the group of Androgenic anabolic steroid users?

And if TRT users are included, or if they are not, how to they distinguish between TRT and AAS abusers? Levels only? Substance used? I suppose if I am tested, my LH being very low while my TT being normal indicates the use of exogenous testosterone, would I be included in that group of AAS users?

 

[Jinzang]

The study says that participants were recruited from fitness centers or had failed steroid tests for athletic contests. I think it's fair to say all were steroid users, although the study doesn't seem to distinguish dose and substances used by the participants. The purpose of the study was to assess the public health problems that steroid use cause, not to evaluate the toxicity of a particular steroid.

 

[DragonBits]

The study says that participants were recruited from fitness centers or had failed steroid tests for athletic contests. I think it's fair to say all were steroid users, although the study doesn't seem to distinguish dose and substances used by the participants. The purpose of the study was to assess the public health problems that steroid use cause, not to evaluate the toxicity of a particular steroid.

I doubt the study gave enough details for you to determine this, but do you think the typical TRT user would have fallen under their definition of a steroid user?

I wonder if someone like myself with a 700 TT would have been classed as a steroid user, since it can be deduced I must be taking testosterone as my Lh/FSH levels are near zero.

I don't doubt that heavy use of AAS is dangerous for your health, what level of TT makes it dangerous is important to individuals. Substances are also important as it could be particular drugs that cause most of the problem. However, I think most AAS users will also have high levels of TT along with other drugs. I can see they want to quantify just how dangerous it is, but they leave a lot of room for guessing.


Thanks for posting.