Impaired vasoreactivity in bodybuilders using androgenic anabolic steroids.

Eur J Clin Invest. 2006 Jul;36(7):483-8.

Impaired vasoreactivity in bodybuilders using androgenic anabolic steroids.

Lane HA, Grace F, Smith JC, Morris K, Cockcroft J, Scanlon MF, Davies JS.

Department of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff
CF14 4XW, Wales, UK. laneha@cf.ac.uk

BACKGROUND: Anabolic androgenic steroids are used by some bodybuilders to enhance
performance. While the cardiovascular implications of supraphysiological androgen
levels requires further clarification, use is associated with sudden death, left
ventricular hypertrophy, thrombo-embolism and cerebro-vascular events.

MATERIALS
AND METHODS: To further understand the effect of androgenic anabolic steroid
abuse on vascular function, this study assessed vascular stiffness (pulse-wave
analysis) and cardiovascular risk factors in 28 male, bodybuilding subjects, of
whom ten were actively receiving anabolic agents (group A; 26.4 +/- 7.2 years)
and eight had undergone a 3-month "wash-out" period (group B; 32.1 +/- 7.1
years). The remaining ten bodybuilding subjects (group C; 24.4 +/- 4.4 years)
denied any past use of anabolic steroids or other performance enhancing drugs.
Comparisons were made with ten sedentary male controls (group D, 29.3 +/- 4.7
years).

RESULTS: Endothelial independent dilatation in response to glycerol
trinitrate was significantly impaired in the group currently using anabolic
steroids (group A) compared with the other three groups [A (5.63 +/- 3.24%)
versus; B (11.10 +/- 4.91%), C (17.88 +/- 9.2%) and D (14.46 +/- 3.9%), P <
0.0005, respectively], whereas no significant differences in
endothelial-dependent dilatation were detected between the groups [A (5.0 +/-
3.0%), B (7.4 +/- 3.4%), C (9.6 +/- 4.5%) and D (8.2 +/- 3.3%), P < 0.059,
respectively].

CONCLUSIONS: Previous studies described a decline in vascular
reactivity occurring in bodybuilding subjects which is independent of anabolic
steroid use and may result from smooth muscle hypertrophy with increased vascular
stiffness. This study revealed impaired vascular reactivity associated with
anabolic agents and that improvement in vascular function may occur following
their discontinuation.