Abstract

Effects of on-prescribed, self-administered high-doses of testosterone and anabolic steroid were investigated in 14 male power athletes (age range 23-24 years) during 3 months of strength training. Significant increases in body mass (from 89.9 +/- 9 to 95.4 +/- 10 kg) and decreases in percentage of body fat (from 13.4 +/- 4.8 to 11.6 +/- 4.5) took place in the experimental group during the 3-month training. The concentrations of serum pituitary hormones (LH, FSH, TSH) decreased significantly during the use of androgens. These alterations were associated with significantly decreased levels of serum endogenous testosterone, thyroxine, free thyroxine, triidotyronine, sex hormone-binding globulin, and thyroxine-binding globulin. At the same time testicular function was greatly impaired as seen from the very low serum testosterone concentrations following drug withdrawal and from decreased testicular volume and from azoospermia. Significantly decreased serum HDLC, HDL2C and HDL3C concentrations and significantly increased serum LDLC and triacylglycerol concentrations were also detected during the use of androgens. The concentrations of serum total cholesterol was not effected. The activities of serum creatine kinase, and aspartate aminotransferase increased and gammaglutamyltransferase decreased significantly, but the activity of serum alanine aminotransferase did not change systematically. Cessation of the drug self-administration resulted in return of all the variables measured to the level of the initial values. It is concluded that androgenic-anabolic steroid doping leads to salient hormonal and metabolic changes, which seem to be reversible. However, further research is needed, to elucidate the long-term health concequences of androgenic-anabolic steroid doping. Verf.-Referat