Study: Steroids Can Cause Heart Attacks

Study: Steroids Can Cause Heart Attacks January 11, 2007 LOS ANGELES -- To some people, getting fit means doing whatever it takes to increase strength and muscle mass, even if it means taking steroids. NBC4's Dr. Bruce Hensel reported on a new study that showed that steroids can cause heart attacks. Competition is fierce among young athletes. Shaughnessy McDermott hopes to weight lift at the Olympics one day. "You have to worry about everyone who you compete against all the time," said McDermott. He knows he can take shortcuts, like using steroids. Shaughnessy said that he will not take steroids because he has seen what it did to his father. Daniel McDermott broke records and held national titles in body building and power lifting when he was in his 20s. "In the 1970s steroids among competitors became very commonplace if you're going to compete at that national level or higher up level you could bet your competition was using steroids, there's no question about it," said McDermott. After about a decade on steroids McDermott stopped after his training partner had a massive heart attack and seven years later, when he was 36. "I have a massive heart attack in front of the gym that I was training at," said McDermott. His case is not unique. Dr. Lawrence Santora did CT scans on body builders who were longtime steroid users. His study showed many of them had premature heart disease. "What we're seeing is very early hardening of the arteries. Some of them had enough plaque of the type and quantity you would see in somebody in their late 1970's. This puts them at risk of dying," said Santora at St. Joseph Hospital. "There's a lot of my friends that I had to say goodbye to in the last couple of years that died because of steroid abuse and there's a lot of guys out there who are very sick," said McDermott. Still, steroid use has not stopped in sports. A CDC survey showed that use among high school students more than doubled between 1991 and 2003. Girls are taking them as well to enhance their build. Football Great Dick Butkus is involved in an effort to stop steroid abuse. He didn't take steroids and he's telling kids, they don't have to either. "I don't know how many deaths we have to go through to convince people that this is bad stuff. I just don't think it's worth the risk," said Butkus. Shaunassey is heeding that advice. "Because one day they're going to get caught. they're going to get caught one day," said Shaunassey. Hensel said hopefully that's not the only reason they'll stay away. No matter what advantage steroids may give you, you will pay a price for their benefits; one day you may pay with your life.

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Study: Steroids Can Cause Heart Attacks