Testosterone affects tissue in most of the body.
large doses of anabolic androgenic steroids 
therefore have a range of effects.
The anabolic effects speed up protein synthesis in 
muscles, leading to an increase of muscle mass
and strength and a faster restitution time.
These are the intended effects, 
but unfortunately not the only ones.
Anabolic steroids quickly throw our 
hormone systems off balance,
leading to unintended side effects.
Changes in hormone levels and fast
muscle growth can lead to stretch marks.
Tendons and their attachment points
 can't keep up with muscle growth,
which can result in damages and scar
tissue to both tendons and muscles.
Rapid muscle growth can also lead to 
cramping and intense muscle pain.
oil glands in the skin are also stimulated, leading to 
excess oil production and large, painful pimples.
When adolescents use anabolic steroids
in puberty, growth can be disturbed, with
a serious risk for premature closing of
skeletal growth zones.
The result can be that adolescents' adult 
height is reduced by 5 to 10 centimeters.
Use of anabolic steroids can also lead to salt and fluid 
retention, which is a risk factor for high blood pressure.
High intensity strength training in combination with high blood pressure puts pressure on the heart.
Since the heart is a muscle, steroid use 
can also make the heart itself grow.
this can be particularly problematic for the left chamber, 
which pumps blood out into the body.
The heart's walls can also become thicker and tougher 
which impacts the heart's ability to pump.
Over time this can lead to heart failure.
We also know that steroids impact 
levels of cholesterol in the blood.
Levels of good HDL cholesterol, responsible for 
transporting fat from tissues to the liver, are reduced,
which can result in arthrosclerosis, and thereafter 
an increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
Anabolic steroids can also be poisonous to liver cells, because the liver can't properly break them down.
The kidneys are also impacted when the
hormone EPO is stimulated.
This hormone impacts the production of red blood cells 
in bone marrow, which can lead to blood clots.
These are some of the negative effects that male 
and female steroid users can experience.
In addition, there are a range of sex specific 
effects illustrated in another video.
Anabolic steroids have individual effects 
and therefore different symptom profiles.
Some reports side effects quickly, while others 
experience few, or only after longer periods of use.
These variations depend on the type and dose of steroid 
used, genetic differences, and age of first use.
In Norway, the specialist health service providing substance use disorder treatment
is responsible for this patient group and 
coordinating necessary health services.
Want more information? 
You can contact the steroid project by email.
