Patient education: Hormones to boost sports performance: Risks and side effects (The Basics)

What are androgens and other hormones to boost sports performance? — Androgens are male sex hormones that are made naturally by the body.

Testosterone is the most important androgen. It is the reason men have male sexual features, such as:

●Hair on the body and face

●Large, strong muscles

●A deep, low voice

Women make testosterone, too, but in much lower amounts than men.

Androgens can also be made in a lab and are called "synthetic androgens." They are also called "anabolic steroids" or just "steroids."

Doctors sometimes prescribe testosterone to men whose bodies don't make enough. It is taken as an injection (shot), as a patch placed on the skin, or a gel rubbed into the skin.

Some people (mostly men, but sometimes women) take androgens or other hormones to build up their muscles and perform better in sports. But this can lead to serious side effects and other problems. Doctors strongly recommend not doing this.

What are the different types of hormones to boost sports performance? — Androgens and other hormones to boost sports performance include:

●Testosterone – This is the main androgen made by the body. Doctors agree that it is safe to give testosterone to men who cannot make a normal amount on their own. For men with normal testosterone levels, taking extra hormone might help sports performance a little bit. But it can also be harmful.

●Synthetic androgens – These include stanozolol and nandrolone, which come in pills (but can also be injected).

●Chemicals that change into androgens in the body – These include androstenedione (also called "andro") and DHEA. Androstenedione cannot be bought legally in the US. There is also no proof that it makes your muscles stronger. DHEA pills are sold over-the-counter.

●SARMs – This stands for "selective androgen receptor modulators." Many different SARMs are sold over the internet and claim to help build muscle. But they are not approved in any country. Many have also been found to have problems with their labeling. For example, they might contain substances other than what they say they contain.

●Chemicals that help the body make more testosterone – One example is human chorionic gonadotropin (also called "hCG"), a hormone that the body makes when a person is pregnant. Another is tamoxifen, a pill that blocks the female hormone estrogen. Male athletes use this to prevent breast growth when they are taking testosterone. That's because testosterone can turn into estrogen, which then makes the breasts grow.

●Growth hormone – This hormone normally helps the body grow and build muscle. Doctors prescribe it to people who don't make enough of it. But people who have normal amounts of growth hormone sometimes take extra to try to boost their performance. There is no proof that this works, and it can be harmful.

What are the risks and side effects of hormones to boost sports performance? — Androgens can cause the following side effects in both men and women:

●Liver problems

●Mood problems, such as acting aggressive

●Too many red blood cells, and a higher-than-normal risk of blood clots

Other side effects happen to men, women, and teens differently:

●In men, androgens cause the testes to get smaller and stop making natural testosterone and sperm. This leads to infertility (not being able to get a person pregnant). This can be reversed if men stop taking androgens, but it can take a long time. They also cause men's breasts to grow (called "gynecomastia").

●In women, androgens cause a deep voice and hair growth on the face and other parts of the body. Deepening of the voice cannot be reversed.

●In teens, androgens can cause the ends of certain bones to fuse together earlier than normal.

In men, hCG can cause the breasts to swell and grow larger.

Growth hormone has many side effects, including:

●Diabetes

●High blood pressure

●An enlarged heart

●Hand swelling

More on this topic

Patient education: Growth hormone treatment in adults (The Basics)