A new study has found that using anabolic steroids could raise the risk of a serious heart problem called atrial fibrillation, especially in young men.
The research was done by scientists at the University of Birmingham and in Germany, and it was published in The Journal of Physiology.
Atrial fibrillation is a condition where the heart beats in an irregular way. It can cause serious health problems if not treated. This new study warns that using steroids to build muscle might make this heart problem more likely.
Anabolic steroids are man-made versions of the male hormone testosterone. Some people use them to get bigger muscles, often influenced by videos on social media like TikTok. But these steroids can be dangerous, especially for the heart.
The study was led by Dr. Laura Sommerfeld from UKE Hamburg. Her team looked at how steroid use affects the heart, especially in people who might already have a higher risk for heart problems due to their genes.
They focused on a heart condition called ARVC, or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy. This condition weakens the connections between heart cells and makes the heart muscle less stable.
ARVC happens more often in men and tends to be worse in them. The study found that taking anabolic steroids for just six weeks could make ARVC worse. The steroids weakened cell connections and made it harder for sodium channels in the heart to do their job. These channels are important for sending electrical signals that keep the heart beating properly.
When the sodium channels don’t work well, signals move more slowly in the upper chambers of the heart, called the atria. This can lead to atrial fibrillation. That’s when the heart’s rhythm becomes irregular, which can cause dizziness, fatigue, and even stroke.
Professor Larissa Fabritz, another researcher on the team, said that high testosterone levels from steroids can make heart diseases like ARVC even more dangerous. This could lead to heart rhythm problems that may be life-threatening.
The study’s message is clear: using anabolic steroids to build muscle is not worth the risk to your heart. Young people, especially men, need to know about these dangers. With more people turning to social media for fitness advice, there is a real need for better awareness.
If you care about heart health, it’s also worth looking into other studies. Some show that herbal supplements might hurt your heart rhythm. Others find that eating eggs may help lower the risk of heart disease. There are even studies suggesting that drinking apple juice and eating yogurt could be good for your heart.
The findings from this new research help us understand more about how steroid use affects the heart. It’s important to make informed choices and avoid things that could put your health at risk.
If you care about heart disease, please read studies that herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm, and how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies that apple juice could benefit your heart health, and results showing yogurt may help lower the death risks in heart disease.
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