Steroid Use and Cardiovascular Damage

[Jinzang]

A recent study compared weight lifters who used steroids to those who did not and found significantly greater cardiovascular damage among the steroid users.

We recruited 140 experienced male weightlifters 34 to 54 years of age, comprising 86 men reporting ≥2 years of cumulative lifetime AAS use and 54 nonusing men. Using transthoracic echocardiography and coronary computed tomography angiography, we assessed 3 primary outcome measures: left ventricular (LV) systolic function (left ventricular ejection fraction), LV diastolic function (early relaxation velocity), and coronary atherosclerosis (coronary artery plaque volume). Compared with nonusers, AAS users demonstrated relatively reduced LV systolic function and diastolic function. In addition, AAS users demonstrated higher coronary artery plaque volume than nonusers. Lifetime AAS dose was strongly associated with coronary atherosclerotic burden in rank of plaque volume for each 10-year increase in cumulative duration of AAS use.

 

[madman]

Of course they did the effects on the heart from testosterone/aas abuse was known decades ago if you dig through the literature.

 

[Sean Mosher]

I didn't see any doses noted or even if it was just Testosterone abuse or abuse of other compounds as well.
Is there an accepted medical dosing amount of Testosterone where it's no longer considered therapeutic and damage begins to occur?
I've talked to guys taking as little as 100mg and as much as 300mg per week under doctor supervision.
I wont' even go into the guys I know doing more without medical supervision.........

 

[madman]

I didn't see any doses noted or even if it was just Testosterone abuse or abuse of other compounds as well.
Is there an accepted medical dosing amount of Testosterone where it's no longer considered therapeutic and damage begins to occur?
I've talked to guys taking as little as 100mg and as much as 300mg per week under doctor supervision.
I wont' even go into the guys I know doing more without medical supervision.........

I would say on average 100-150mg/week would get many into the upper end of the physiological range which for the experienced trt doctors would be acceptable and a smaller percentage may need 200mg/week but it is not common. Most inexperienced gps would prefer to have patients mid-normal so 200mg every 2 weeks would be more commonly prescribed. I would say when one starts injecting more than 200mg/week there is definitely a negative impact on lipids/worsening of hematocrit/hemoglobin and increased chance of sides related to e2 (water retention/increased blood pressure/gyno) and dht (bph/acne/hair loss) but ones genetics would play a big role especially regarding gyno/hair loss/acne. The body prefers equilibrium and anything in excess would not be healthy!

 

[ScottM]

I would also be curious to know what other "supplementation" was done, everything from GNC type supplements, to more serious compounds such as deca, winstrol, etc which can found amongst users of the body building/competition crowd.

-Scott
Telthera