Steroid Guide Review

Most Common Steroid Side Effects
Common steroid side effects are dependent on the dose taken or how long the steroids have been taken. These include:  heartburn or indigestion, increased appetite, weight gain, swollen hands, feet, and ankles, increased risk of infection, changes in blood sugar levels, changes in mood and behavior, difficulty in sleeping, and difficulties with pregnancy.

The feeling of heartburn is usually attributed to taking oral steroids with an empty stomach.  One effective solution is taking steroids with a glass of milk.  Increase in appetite is a direct effect of steroids to increase your body mass.  The more food you take, the more protein is synthesized to form and build your muscles.  However, after stopping your dose of steroids, appetite can normalize.  Swollen hands, feet, and ankles are brought about by water retention.  Changes in blood sugar levels are usually due to prolonged use of steroids.  You will feel thirstier and you always pass urine.  These are clear indicators that sugar level in your blood had increased.  When taking steroids, your mood and behavior will be more emotional than usual.

Steroid side effects commonly reported are: balding, acne, cysts, gynecomastia, high cholesterol, increased aggression, kidney damage, stunted growth, shrinkage of testicles, depression, irritability, and infections.

Serious steroid side effects include those affecting the liver.  Jaundice or yellowing of the skin is usually common for chronic users.  Steroids increase bad cholesterols and decreases good cholesterols in the body.  This may lead to cardiovascular problems which can be sometimes life threatening.  Psychological effects are also common such as aggressiveness, mood swings, paranoia, insomnia, euphoria and hallucinations.      

Changes in sexual functioning are also common.  For a man taking anabolic steroids, the following may be experienced:  difficulty urinating, enlarged prostate, reduced sperm count, impotence and shrinkage of testicles.  Women who abuse anabolic steroids may also experience:  facial hair growth, absence or changes of menstrual periods, breast reduction, deepened tone of voice, and clitoral enlargement. 

Different people will always react differently to steroids.  The dosage and method of administration can also influence the way steroids react with the human body.  Doctors and health professionals can be consulted for their use and advantages that are considered to be beneficial.