Gym steroids can cause erectile dysfunction, reduced libido, infertility and other sexual problems in men who take them regularly. (Representational image: Shutterstock)
If good sex is important to you, stay away from these drugs. Not only do these drugs put your health at risk, but they clearly won’t do anything for your romantic life either
Sex may permeate our popular culture, but conversations about it are still associated with stigma and shame in Indian households. As a result, most individuals dealing with sexual health issues or trying to find information about sex often resort to unverified online sources or follow the unscientific advice of their friends.
To address the widespread misinformation about sex, News18.com is running this weekly sex column, titled ‘Let’s Talk Sex’. We hope to initiate conversations about sex through this column and address sexual health issues with scientific insight and nuance.
In this article, we will explore how gym steroids can disrupt your sex life and give you tips on how to manage them if you have already started using them.
Gym steroids are synthetic substances that mimic testosterone in the body, a male hormone. These substances are used by athletes and bodybuilders to increase muscle mass and burn fat. It can have serious side effects on the body. Increased aggression and risk of infection due to needle use are just a few of the potential downsides of taking steroids.
But did you know it can also have an adverse effect on your sex life?
That’s right, these powerful drugs can cause erectile dysfunction, reduced libido, infertility and other sexual problems in men who take them regularly. So, if good sex is important to you, stay away from these drugs! Not only do these drugs put your health at risk, but they clearly won’t do anything for your romantic life either.
Physical effects of steroids on the body
Gym steroids can lead to some serious physical changes in your sex life. These include:
- Fertility risks: Using gym steroids can also reduce fertility in both genders due to changes in hormone levels that disrupt ovulation or sperm production. Imbalances of sex hormones can also cause infertility; high levels of testosterone make it difficult for women to become pregnant because it affects their ovulation cycle. In men, steroid use suppresses sperm production, making it difficult for them to father children later
- Testosterone suppression: Gym steroids suppress your natural testosterone levels in order to achieve a much larger muscle size more quickly. When this happens, your testicular size and testosterone production can decrease, leading to erectile difficulties and a decreased libido
- Decrease in sperm count and function: Steroids can significantly reduce testosterone production, leading to a decrease in sperm count. This could even lead to infertility
- Increased risk of erectile dysfunction: When testosterone levels are off balance, your ability to get and maintain an erection is hampered, resulting in erectile dysfunction
- Enlarged breasts: Men can develop enlarged breasts due to increased levels of oestrogen caused by steroid use. This condition is called gynaecomastia and is associated with a higher risk of testicular cancer.
- Penis shrinkage linked to steroids: The most serious of these side effects are testicular shrinkage, impotence and penis shrinkage — all of which can permanently damage your sexual functioning. To avoid this dark side effect of gym steroids, we recommend avoiding them altogether or carefully controlling your dosage if you do take them.
Psychological risks associated with taking steroids
It’s common knowledge that taking steroids can negatively affect your physical health, but did you know that it can also have psychological effects. Taking steroids can also lead to mental health issues like depression, which may contribute to a decreased interest in sex. Steroids are also known to cause aggressive behaviour, which is not a desirable trait in any relationship. And if that’s not enough to scare you away, steroid use has been linked to increase in anxiety and decreased confidence in some people.
Strategies for managing and reducing steroid risks in your body
If you’re already on steroids, it’s not too late to reduce your risk. There are certain strategies that can help you manage the risks and make sure that your sex life isn’t totally ruined.
- Monitoring: First of all, you need to be monitored. Regular blood tests will ensure that your body is functioning normally and that the hormone levels are within the safe range. This helps you to prevent any damage before it occurs, as well as identify any problems early so they can be addressed in a timely manner
- Cycle length: The next thing you have to think about is the cycle length — the time between when you start taking steroids and when you stop taking them. Keeping it as short as possible will help reduce the strain on your body and minimise the potential side effects
- Dosage and frequency: The dosage and frequency matters too — the lower dosage means less strain on your body, so lower doses taken more regularly, rather than larger doses taken less frequently will help keep the risks down
- Natural bodybuilding: There are natural bodybuilding supplements and proven nutrition plans that help increase muscle mass without taking steroids. Plus, they don’t carry the associated risks of steroids — no potential to destroy your sex life (or worse)
- Working out smarter: Another alternative is working out smarter. You can combine different exercises and make sure enough rest days are part of your training schedule. This helps build muscles safely and efficiently — all without putting your sex life at risk with gym steroids.
By following these strategies for managing steroid use and reducing risks in your body, you can make sure that your sex life won’t be ruined by gym steroids.
Knowing when to stop and seek help
One of the biggest risks to your sex life is that if you don’t know when to stop using them, it can lead to serious issues. So when should you stop using gym steroids and seek help? Here’s a few common signs:
- You experience a marked drop in libido or sexual arousal
- You struggle with erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation
- Your levels of testosterone decrease significantly
- You find it increasingly difficult to maintain an erection or reach orgasm.
The only way to ensure that you don’t suffer from these symptoms is to stay away from gym steroids and opt for natural and safer alternatives. Ultimately, it’s important to remember that steroids can provide significant muscle gains, but at a high cost. So, if you decide to take them, make sure you are aware of all the possible risks and side effects before you go ahead.
Prof (Dr) Saransh Jain is the winner of the Swasth Bharat Rattan Award and is a certified and licensed sexologist by the American Board of Sexology. He is currently a senior consultant at Dr SK Jain’s Burlington Clinic in Lucknow. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the stand of this publication.
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