Consumers of steroids have increased risks related to serious heart problems

Prolonged administration of anabolic steroids can result in various heart troubles. It increases risks connected with heart failure. These statements have been noted in a research that has been written in Circulation: Heart Failure, an American Heart Association journal.
Anabolic-androgenic steroids work like testosterone that occurs naturally and which is responsible for development of male sex characteristics.
The leader of the research Aaron L. Baggish says that in addition to the fact that anabolic steroids are illegal, they are connected with undesirable results for health. He notices that it is the first time, when negative effect of long-term administration of steroids on heart is clearly recognized.
The study demonstrated that the left ventricle in users of steroids was substantially weaker during contraction than in those who didn’t administer steroids.
A left ventricle which works properly pumps out 55-70 % of the blood that fills the heart.
 12 steroid users were enrolled in the study. It was manifested that the left ventricles of 83 % these steroid users worked incorrectly: they pumped out less than 55 % of the blood.   Among the examined non-users just one person had problems linked with the function of the left ventricle.
The study manifested that ventricle relaxation among users of steroids was reduced by circa half. It was 0, 93 among users of steroids; 1, 80 – among non-steroid users. The structure of the left ventricle was similar in both groups: consumers of steroids and non-users.
It was used the test “Doppler echocardiography” for evaluation of function and structure of the left ventricle. This technique uses ultrasound for creation of moving pictures of the heart and its blood flow.
 The group of steroid users included 12 weightlifters at the age of about 40 that said that they used about 675 mg of steroids a week for 9 years. Another group included weightlifters who didn’t use steroids. Both groups had the same physical activity and similar risks connected with heart diseases. But they had differences in body mass and muscle size. The users of steroids had more muscular physiques.
However small number of steroid users has been evaluated, the results have shown that there is a close link between intake of steroids and heart impairment.
The specialists decided to conduct further researches in order to support the findings.
Baggish and his co-investigators suppose that people will realize that usage of steroids may cause heart problems and different unexplained heart dysfunctions in young persons.