Pump the brakes!
As fitfluencers push powerlifting, weight training and “whatever it takes” to get toned, more women are turning to steroids to beef up their bods.
Research suggests that about 4% of women have used anabolic steroids at least once, up from 1.6% a decade ago.
There are certainly benefits of strength training for women, such as stronger bones, improved metabolism, better mood and even longer lives.
However, researchers are warning that women are ripping through ‘roids without taking the time to educate themselves about the unique and potentially irreversible side effects.
“The boom in women’s strength training and weightlifting since 2021 will benefit the physical and mental health of most who partake in it,” Australian researchers wrote this week in The Conversation.
“But the simultaneous increase in steroid use may be cause for concern without effective harm reduction via education, health promotion and health services engagement.”
Some of the most notable side effects of anabolic steroids in women include:
Body and facial hair growth or hair loss
Deeper voice
Menstrual changes or infertility
Breast tissue reduction
Acne
Enlarged clitoris
Severe mood changes
Beyond these changes in appearance, there are more serious risks, including cancer and organ damage from illicit products containing toxic ingredients like lead and arsenic.
There are also dangers of long-term steroid use, such as heart disease, stroke, liver damage and severe mental health issues.
Anabolic steroids are manmade versions of testosterone, the hormone responsible for male characteristics like facial hair, a deep voice and muscle growth.
So it’s unsurprising that their side effects are masculinizing, even in women.
Since so much of the research and discussion around steroids has focused on men, women may not be as educated about the downsides.
“Interviews with women who use steroids show many are less informed than men about these dangers, often because the research has historically focused on male use,” the researchers wrote in The Conversation.
“There is also the issue of stigma,” they added. “Women report being judged more harshly than men when seeking medical help and some avoid health services entirely.”
The researchers recommend that health agencies gear their steroid resources to women as well as men, fitfluencers help spread accurate information about steroids on social media and healthcare providers treat without judgment.
