[FONT="]The study included 51 men with an average age of 29 years (range 23 to 43 years). Of those, 21 did weight lifting and had taken anabolic androgenic steroids for at least two years, 20 did weight lifting but did not take steroids, and ten were healthy but sedentary.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Participants underwent computed tomography coronary angiography (a type of imaging used to visualise the arteries) to assess the presence of atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries.[/FONT]
[FONT="]The researchers found that 24% of steroid users had atherosclerosis in their coronary arteries, compared to none of the non-users and sedentary participants. The steroid users with atherosclerosis also had significantly reduced HDL levels and HDL function.
