Scientists from the University of Birmingham and their partners in Germany have found a troubling link between using anabolic steroids and an increased risk of heart rhythm problems.
The research was published in The Journal of Physiology and focuses on a heart condition known as atrial fibrillation. This condition causes the heart to beat irregularly and can lead to serious health issues.
This discovery is especially important for young men who use anabolic steroids to build muscle. These drugs are often promoted on social media apps like TikTok and are used by people looking to improve their appearance.
Anabolic steroids are man-made versions of testosterone, a hormone found naturally in the body. While they can help increase muscle size, they also come with serious health risks.
The study was led by Dr. Laura Sommerfeld from UKE Hamburg. It focused on a heart condition called arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). This disease affects how heart cells connect to each other and weakens the heart muscle.
ARVC is more common and severe in men, and the new study suggests that anabolic steroids can make it even worse.
The researchers found that just six weeks of using anabolic steroids could damage how cells in the heart connect. It also reduced the function of sodium channels, which are important for sending electrical signals through the heart. When these signals slow down, it can lead to heart rhythm problems like atrial fibrillation.
Professor Larissa Fabritz, who was involved in the research, stressed that high levels of testosterone from steroid use can make heart muscle diseases like ARVC more dangerous. These changes can lead to life-threatening heart rhythm problems.
Many people might not know about these dangers, especially since steroid use is becoming more popular through social media. This study sends a strong warning to young people about the serious heart risks linked to steroid use.
It shows the importance of understanding what these drugs can do to your heart, especially if you have a family history of heart problems.
Other studies have also looked at heart health and found useful information. For example, some herbal supplements can harm your heart rhythm, while eating eggs may help lower your risk of heart disease. Drinking apple juice and eating yogurt have also been shown to support heart health in some research.
In conclusion, while building muscle might be a goal for many young people, using anabolic steroids to achieve this can come at a high cost. The findings from this study remind us to think carefully about what we put into our bodies and how it can affect our health, especially our hearts.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about Changing blood pressure readings is a hidden sign of heart disease and findings of Common type 2 diabetes drugs may raise heart risk.
For more information about heart health, please read studies about Scientists find root cause of heart rhythm disorders and findings of Warning signal from the kidneys can predict future heart failure risk.
The full study can be found in The Journal of Physiology.
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