Adolescent Steroid Use Alters Brain Permanently

More than 10% of the current population of adolescent male are using steroids and other drugs related to performance and muscle enhancement.

While there are those that use the drug as recommended by their doctors (for medical purposes), many are resorting to steroids just to improve their muscles and performance.

This practice can provide rapid development of the muscles and better performance in sports.

However, this type of drug have dangerous effects in the body. Because of the dangers posed by steroids, this drug has been highly regulated and has become a prescription drug.

But even with the strict regulation, the number of adolescent male using steroids is still consistent. This is very alarming since new studies have presented additional effects in the body. It’s already a known fact that steroids can endanger certain parts of the body.

However, the psychological effects in the body is still unknown. A new study funded by the National Institute of Health reveals a potential psychological side effect to the body.

The funding was granted to the Northeastern University and the results of their study was published in a journal titled “Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior”.

The researchers commissioned in the study conducted a three-staged experiment on Syrian hamsters. This breed of hamsters is well known to have the same neurological makeup with humans. On the first stage, some hamsters were give steroids for one month.

This period is equivalent to five years to adolescents. After the said period, the hamsters showed significant aggression compared to hamsters that didn’t have any steroids in their body.

The second stage of experiment was dedicated testing the effects of Prozac on the hamsters with steroids. After significant dosage, the hamsters that went through steroids and then Prozac have significantly reduced their aggression.

The third stage is checking the actual effects of steroids in the brain. The nervous system of the hamsters that have significant dosage of steroids were examined. After careful examination, the level of serotonin was significantly reduced. The neural connections in the brain lacks the required level of serotonin that can control aggression.

Serotonin is a hormone responsible for controlling aggression. Prozac is a very popular drug in controlling aggression because it triggers the increase of release of Serotonin. With the lack of serotonin, aggression increases.

This behavior was noted on Syrian hamsters and because their neurological make-up is almost the same with humans, the chances of steroids having the same effect in the brain also increases.

This additional problem caused by steroids should be a warning for adolescents. Steroid use do not provide long term effects but the side effects caused by the drug could last a lifetime.

Effects such as sexual problems, liver diseases and abnormal physical development could be experienced and could be irreversible. It’s even an alarming situation since steroid use is increasing.

Even though further research is required to have a better understanding of the psychological effect on the brain, adolescent males have to be warned of the dangerous effects of this drug.