For those searching the idea of anabolic steroid use or even those who are well-versed, the side effects of steroids are always a concern. With all drugs there are side effects, even your over-the-counter (OTC) medications carry with them side effects; sometimes quite dramatic. It is very important to understand when we talk about the side effects of a particular drug were talking about effects secondary to the main function of the drug; further and more importantly, were talking about things that may happen, not things that will absolutely happen. When discussing anabolic steroids the same can be said; there are steroid side effects but they are not guaranteed and most of the time there are measures of prevention.
Depending on the anabolic steroid in question there can be different side effects and the degree of the effect can vary. However, there are some steroid side effects that are relatively common; the most common include:
These are the most common possible negative side effects of steroids but as mentioned, they are not guaranteed. Like many things in life steroid side effects will be individually based; while you may experience a negative side effect from a particular anabolic steroid another individual may not; further, while you may experience negative side effects from one particular anabolic steroid this doesnt mean youll experience it from all anabolic steroids.
With the list of steroid side effects listed above there are measures we can take to aid in prevention with each one except hair loss. Unfortunately, while hair loss is not guaranteed if you are susceptible to male-pattern baldness anabolic steroid use may increase the process; conversely if you are not susceptible you will more than likely be fine. As for the other steroid side effects listed; increased blood pressure, bloating and cholesterol issues, more times than not proper nutritional intake can prevent or correct the problem(s). While all will not experience a decrease in HDL cholesterol, large majorities do; supplementing your diet with good fatty-acids can aid in correcting this situation.
Quite often the most dreaded possible side effects of steroids is that of Gynecomastia, commonly referred to as Bitch Tits or Gyno. Anabolic steroids that aromatize are going to increase this risk but again, there are measures to take. In most cases, the use of an aromatase inhibitor while on cycle will prevent this problem; arimidex or letrozol are both good choices. In some cases this will not be enough as this side effect of steroids can be very strong and if you fall into this category unfortunately the only thing you can do is to have it removed. The good news is once the glands are removed you will not be at risk any longer; many anabolic steroid users choose to have these glands removed before hand to avoid nasty steroid side effects of this nature.
As for acne, no one likes looking like a pizza face and no one wants a muscular back covered in red tic-tacs and even though some are more sensitive than others, most will not have to deal with this negative side effect of steroids if they follow proper protocol. The most common cause of acne during anabolic steroid use is that of dirty gear. This is why its very important to use quality human grade anabolic steroids instead of buying from a guy in a van down by the river. Another important measure to take revolves around hygiene; keeping the skin very clean, even more so than when not using anabolic steroids will keep this possible side effect of steroids at bay.
A common side effect we hear a lot about is in regards to anabolic steroids possible negative effect on the liver. While this can be a problem its important to understand why and what you can do to prevent it. While steroids side effects surrounding the liver are very real, in-short the largest cause for this problem is the use of oral anabolic steroids; in general, injectable steroids will not cause a problem. Further, this does not mean we cannot use oral anabolic steroids but abuse of orals is a higher risk than with injectables. By keeping our oral steroid use to one oral at a time, using orals for shorter durations as well as taking an herbal liver support supplement will greatly ease any negative steroids side effects you may incur with steroid use.
