Anabolic steroids also referred to as anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS), are used by bodybuilders, and by the medical profession. They are a class of medications that structurally resemble the testosterone hormone. A number of medical disorders are treated using anabolic steroids. However, bodybuilders and sportsmen also utilise these medications to bulk up and strengthen their muscles. This is often dangerous, and bodybuilders have been known to die young, through overuse of illegal steroids. Researchers discovered that bodybuilders have a relatively high prevalence of using anabolic steroids in a study undertaken in one city in Iran almost 56.8% of the 298 male athletes admitted using steroids. Bodybuilders mostly use anabolic steroids to gain more muscle mass and sculpture their bodies. However, younger guys are influenced by bodybuilders and copy them and so the cycle continues. A 2017 IPED poll found that about 56% of young men used steroids primarily to feel better about their bodies and now there is much more peer pressure in the age of social media. The number of men using anabolic steroids has significantly increased in the twenty-first century. Unfortunately using anabolic steroids excessively causes erectile dysfunction in men.
Anabolic Steroid Types and How They Are Used
There are 32 different versions of steroids. Some are primarily used for therapeutic purposes, other steroids are used by bodybuilders to enhance their perception of their bodies rather than for any therapeutic purpose at all. Men who want to burn fat take cutting steroids, those who want to gain bulk take bulking drugs, and those who want to perform take performance steroids.
Additionally, there are differences in how different anabolic steroids are taken. Some are injected by needles and others are taken orally in the form of pills or syrups. Additionally, certain steroids are administered via inhalers and nasal sprays. It’s interesting to note that some anabolic steroid kinds can be applied topically, as they can be found in ointments and creams.
Connection Between Anabolic Steroids and ED
Around the world, a large number of men who used anabolic steroids had erectile dysfunction. But is Erectile Dysfunction brought on by anabolic steroids? True, is the response. It’s interesting to note that most anabolic steroid users experience ED symptoms after quitting. However, why does it occur? Anabolic steroids cause a man’s natural testosterone hormone to be suppressed while maintaining a high level of synthetic testosterone hormone. The individual’s total testosterone level decreases when they quit using drugs. This results in symptoms of low testosterone hormone, such as exhaustion, decreased libido, and a decrease in concentration. All of these consequences of insufficient testosterone have an adverse influence on erectile function, which eventually results in ED.
Other ED Causes
In addition to anabolic steroids, ED has many additional risk factors and causes. Aside from these, smoking, excessive alcohol intake, drug misuse, anxiety, depression, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and aging are among the other most prominent risk factors for ED.
Can ED be Prevented When Using Anabolic Steroids
It is generally safe to use anabolic steroids if necessary for medical conditions. Because doctors will advise patients to take a sufficient dosage of steroids. When steroids are taken in excess or over an extended time, they can become harmful. Bodybuilders and younger men typically take anabolic steroids illegally and without consulting a doctor in order to enhance their appearance and performance. Such excessive steroid use might result in ED and other life-threatening conditions. That’s why I need to be careful not to abuse these medications in order to prevent ED.
Can Steroid-Induced ED Be Treated with Little Blue Pills?
Across the globe, the most widely used method of treating erectile dysfunction is the use of pills, also known as “Little Blue Pills.” These tablets can be used to enhance erectile function and remove steroids from the body. Men who use these pills find that their penile tissues have more blood flow, which facilitates sexual activity. These tablets might not be helpful for some men. Taking into account the possibility that some men who use these medications may also experience other health problems like low blood pressure, headaches, nosebleeds, vision problems, and other connected problems. In addition, these medications often lose their efficacy with time. These medications might be effective in the short term, but they are not ideal for the longer term.
ED Treatments
After stopping anabolic steroids, erectile function may progressively improve. But the time varies from person to person, and it is not always guaranteed. After 6–12 months, some men may see an improvement in their erectile function after stopping steroids. Conversely, some men might need more time to experience an improvement in erectile performance. It truly relies on the steroid user’s past usage. Still, several ED treatments can help guys in this circumstance.
1. Managing Underlying Medical issues: ED patients will also benefit from treatment for underlying medical issues. For example, treating diabetes or hypertension may help to minimize their negative effects and, ultimately, improve the patients’ erectile health if these conditions are causing or exacerbating erectile dysfunction in men.
2. Vacuum Pumps for Erectile Dysfunction: Vacuum pumps are one non-invasive ED treatment option. Penile vacuum pumps generate suction inside the penis, which increases blood flow. Blood is drawn into the penis by this suction. The best thing about these pumps is that patients can use them independently at home. They work incredibly well. Additionally, vacuum pumps can be used in conjunction with other therapies, like oral medicine. Seldom do these pumps produce unfavourable outcomes. However, if patients are not able to utilize these pumps correctly, they may experience some pain while using them.
3. Penile Injections: Although these injections may have unfavourable side effects in certain people, they can be useful in treating ED. Certain people may have penile discomfort, infection, or priapism following penile injections.
4. Surgery: This should only be done in the most severe cases of ED after all other options have been exhausted. Penile implants are one type of surgical therapy for ED. Penile implants may be surgically placed into the penis of patients with ED. Even though these implants are extremely effective at causing erections during sexual activity, individuals are unable to experience natural erections after this treatment.
5. Shockwave Therapy for ED: Shockwave therapy is a more modern ED treatment method. Patients suffering from kidney stones were the original reason for its invention. Afterward, doctors used it to treat erectile dysfunction among other ailments. Patients can promptly return to their normal activities after receiving this therapy. This non-invasive technique uses low-intensity shockwaves. The low-intensity shockwaves utilised in this therapy enhance blood flow inside the penile tissues. Shockwave therapy also can create new blood vessels, which can guarantee better blood flow in the penis. Regretfully, around the globe, this type of therapy is still quite rare. Nonetheless, some hospitals offer very effective shockwave therapy. Among them is Shockwave Clinics ltd This London, UK-based clinic specializes in men’s health. Shockwave Clinics ltd also provides other cutting-edge, non-invasive ED treatments, like as the Tesla Chair, NanoVi, and EMTT therapy.
The Immediate and Prolonged Impacts of Using Anabolic Steroids
The use of anabolic steroids illegally can have both minor and major long-term effects. The use of anabolic steroids has both immediate and long-term consequences. A few of the short-term side effects of steroids are baldness, changes in sex drive, acne, low sperm count, infertility, priapism, aggressiveness, and mood swings. However, using anabolic steroids over time can have long-term negative effects such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attack, stroke, kidney cancer, prostate cancer, profound depression, roid fury, stunted growth, etc.
In summary
It follows that there are positive and negative uses for anabolic steroids. As long as a medical practitioner administers them and the dosages are appropriate, they are safe. However, excessive dosages can lead to a variety of health problems, including ED. Fortunately, there are therapies available to help men restore their overall and sexual health.
