Scientists think that people will start to realize that usage of steroid may lead to heart disorders

Prolonged intake of anabolic steroids may cause various heart dysfunctions. It enhances risks connected with heart failure. These statements have been made due to a study that has been written in Circulation: Heart Failure, an American Heart Association journal.
Anabolic-androgenic steroids act like the hormone testosterone which occurs naturally and which is responsible for development of male sex features.
The leader of the study Aaron L. Baggish states that in addition to the fact that anabolic steroids are illicit, they are linked with negative results for health. He notices that it is the first time, when negative influence of prolonged intake of steroids on heart is clearly realized.
The study demonstrated that the left ventricle in users of steroids was significantly weaker during contraction than in those who didn’t use steroids.
A left ventricle that acts correctly pumps out 55-70 % of the blood that fills the heart.
 12 steroid users were enrolled in the research. It was shown that the left ventricles of 83 % these steroid users acted inappropriately: they pumped out less than 55 % of the blood.   Among the examined non-users only one person suffered from troubles linked with the function of the left ventricle.
The study demonstrated that ventricle relaxation among steroid users was reduced by circa half. It was 0, 93 among consumers of steroids; 1, 80 – among non-users. The structure of the left ventricle was the same in both groups: users of steroids and non-users.
It was applied the technique “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 that didn’t administer steroids. Both groups had similar physical activity and similar risks related to heart troubles. But they had differences in body mass and muscle size. The consumers of steroids had more muscular appearance.
Although small number of steroid users has been included in the research, the results have displayed that there is a strong link between administration of steroids and heart impairment.
The scientists decided to conduct further researches in order to support the results of this study.
Baggish and his colleagues suppose that people will recognize that intake of steroids can results in heart troubles and various unexplained heart disorders in young persons.