SYSTEMATIC REVIEW STUDY (BASED ON THE PRISMA METHOD) ON THE HARM CAUSED BY THE USE OF ANABOLIC STEROIDS

Abstract

Beauty standards and the search for a perfect body today have led to the use of substances that can facilitate the acquisition of bulky muscles and decrease body fat. Thus, many individuals have sought the use of Anabolic Androgen Steroids (AAS), since these substances play an anabolic role, about the synthesis of contractile proteins (increases muscle volume and strength) and catabolic, in relation to lipid metabolism (stimulates lipolysis). In sports, AAS have been widely used, since they develop greater strength capacity in the athlete and, therefore, bring improvement in speed, power and also cardiorespiratory capacity, since they can lead to a better recovery, thus influencing sports performance. However, the responses are not always beneficial, and can trigger considerable problems in users of AEAs, both at the physical level such as cardiovascular, metabolic and endocrine changes, and at the psychological and social level, through changes in mood, cognition and behavior. Therefore, seeking, compiling and understanding the possible harms triggered by the indiscriminate use of AAS is of great importance for the academic community and society as a whole. Thus, the objective of the present systematic review was to search, through the PRISMA method, for primary studies that present the harm caused by the use of AAS. Results: After applying the exclusion and inclusion criteria, eleven articles were found relating various harms in AAS users in the last 5 years. Among the harms, physiological changes were found such as increased blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias and increased shear rate, heart diseases, atrial fibrillation, cardiac depolarization problems, thrombi, infertility, decreased testosterone and erectile dysfunction; metabolic factors such as an increase in low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), creatinine, urea, liver enzymes in the blood; such as suicidal ideation, increased verbal and non-verbal aggressiveness, cognitive and memory impairments. Conclusion: Therefore, it was possible to conclude, through the present systematic review, that the use of anabolic steroids can trigger harm involving the physiology, metabolism, behavior and social life of users.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.56238/sevened2024.031-064