Late researches have displayed links between long-term steroid use and heart disorders

Prolonged administration of anabolic steroids can cause different heart disorders. It increases risks related to heart failure. These statements have been noted in a research which has been written in Circulation: Heart Failure, an American Heart Association journal.
Anabolic-androgenic steroids work like testosterone that occurs naturally and that is responsible for development of male sex characteristics.
The leader of the research Aaron L. Baggish states that in addition to the factor that anabolic steroids are illegal, they are linked with undesirable consequences for health. He notes that it is the first time, when negative influence of long-term application of steroids on heart is clearly realized.
The research manifested that the left ventricle in steroid users was significantly weaker during contraction than in those who didn’t apply steroids.
A left ventricle that works correctly pumps out 55-70 % of the blood which fills the heart.
 12 consumers of steroids were enrolled in the research. It was demonstrated that the left ventricles of 83 % these steroid users worked inappropriately: they pumped out less than 55 % of the blood.   Among the examined non-users only one person experienced problems linked with the function of the left ventricle.
The research displayed that ventricle relaxation among steroid users was lowered by about half. It was 0, 93 among users of steroids; 1, 80 – among non-users. The structure of the left ventricle was similar in both groups: users of steroids and non-users.
It was applied the method “Doppler echocardiography” for evaluation of function and structure of the left ventricle. This test uses ultrasound for creation of moving pictures of the heart and its blood flow.
 The group of steroid users included twelve weightlifters at the age of about 40 that noted that they used approximately 675 mg of steroids per week for 9 years. Another group included weightlifters that didn’t take steroids. Both groups had the same physical activity and similar risks related to heart troubles. But they had differences in body weight and muscle size. The consumers of steroids had more muscular appearance.
However small number of steroid users has been examined, the results have demonstrated that there is a strong link between intake of steroids and heart impairment.
The specialists decided to conduct further studies in order to support the findings.
Baggish and his colleagues suppose that people will comprehend that application of steroids may results in heart problems and various unexplained heart disorders in young people.