Q: My 28-year-old son is into bodybuilding and fitness. He attends a health club gym almost every day and works out with weights and other machines. He seems to have gotten very muscular in the last year or so and I worry that he may be taking drugs to help make his muscles bigger. He denies that he takes them. How can I tell if he is on these drugs? Apart from them being illegal, I am worried that they could affect his health in general.
A: I believe the type of drugs you are worried about are anabolic steroids. The male hormone, testosterone, is an example of a naturally occurring steroid. Synthetic anabolic steroids are sometimes used by bodybuilders and athletes to enhance their strength and build muscles. They are banned in most competitive sports and athletes can be subjected to tests to check whether they have been using these drugs.
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Steroids are available with a special type of doctor’s prescription for legitimate medical uses. They have been used to promote bone growth and hence height in abnormally short children, to improve appetite and muscle strength in frail elderly people and to help prevent muscle wasting in diseases such as AIDS and cancer. Anabolism is the process whereby smaller molecules are built into larger ones.
You are correct to be concerned about harmful side effects of anabolic steroids.
In higher doses the cholesterol levels become elevated with increased LDLs, the bad ones, and decreased HDLs, the good ones. Steroids can also cause acne, raise blood pressure and affect the liver. Since the heart is also a muscle, it can become enlarged and this could possibly lead to heart problems. There can be psychiatric consequences in some users, such as a short violent temper and a tendency to paranoia. In women, the steroids can have a masculinizing effect.
Another problem with the use of illegal drugs is the danger of counterfeiting. Fake labels can easily be printed using a computer. The market is flooded with products that contain nothing more than vegetable oil. The problem is that some contain toxic ingredients that can lead to blood poisoning and even death when injected.
I expect your son will deny taking drugs, even if he is, just as any other problem drug user would. Anabolic steroids are readily available illegally in most gyms.
Perhaps if you show him this article, he may stop. He is probably unaware of the dangers. Another action you could take is to try to get him to go to a doctor for a blood test to prove he isn’t on the drugs. If he refuses, he is most likely taking them.
Clare Rowson is a retired medical doctor with a practice near Belleville, Ont. Her columns are intended for general information only. Individuals are encouraged to also seek the advice of their own doctor regarding medical questions and treatments.
