Pathological and endocrinological effect of anabolic-androgenic steroid in male rats

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There are many athletes who use performance-enhancing drugs, especially anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS).However there are few reports about the endocrinological and pathological changes that may occur in AAS abusers.In this study, we report the results of endocrinological examinations and physical changes in rats treated with AAS. We separated. 37 male Wister rats (7 weeks old) into 3 groups: group A was treated with nandrolone decanoate, metenolone acetate, and dromostanolone; group B was treated with nandrolone decanoate and saline, and group C was treated with saline. Rats received subcutaneous injections of the medications or the control vehicle once a week for 6 weeks. Treatment was stopped for 4 weeks, then resumed for another 6 weeks.Following the second course of treatment, rats were sacrificed. Serum testosterone levels in group A was significantly higher than in group C. Serum dihydrotestosterone levels in group A were significantly higher than in both groups B and C. Serum estradiol-1 7 13 levels in groups A and B were significantly higher than in group C. Pathological evaluation revealed severe damage in heart, testis, and adrenal gland.Rats that underwent exercise training, such as Jump training etc. in addition to AAS treatment, had similar side effects as those observed in rats treated with AAS alone, i.e., an increase in erythrocytes, hypertrophy of the heart, and a rise of GOT and LDH. However, these side effects were more severe in the exercised rats.These findings indicate that there is a high degree of risk associated with the use of AAS.