There are many serious side effects that can result from steroid use. Just last month we described the potential problems for teenage boys – and many of those health problems are applicable to the broader population. Steroids can affect blood pressure, heart health, and liver function, for example. Medical studies prove this to be true and we often cite these health risks when discouraging kids, and others, from using steroids.
Now, there may be a new, equally serious health problem, associated with steroid use. Last month, a former NFL doctor testified before Congress about the potential link between steroids and brain problems such as dementia. Specifically, Dr. Ira Casson told Congress that more research is necessary to determine the, “long-term effects of use of performance-enhancing drugs on brain pathology.”
While Dr. Casson was discussing steroid use among football players, his allegations raise serious concerns about steroid use in teenagers. Could steroids affect the brains of teenagers and make them more likely to suffer from wild mood swings and dementia?
We simply do not know the answer to that question. What we do know is that steroids are relatively easy to purchase over the internet and many teenagers only see the potential benefits of steroid use while ignoring the serious medical risks. Teenagers, and others, should refrain from using steroids because of all of the known, and unknown medical risks.
