ArticleAddiction (Abingdon, England)2015
Prolonged hypogonadism in males following withdrawal from anabolic-androgenic steroids: an under-recognized problem.
Article in Addiction (Abingdon, England), 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 44 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
44 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Effects of Anabolic Androgenic Steroids on the Reproductive System of Athletes and Recreational Users: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2017Pooled it
- Trial
- Management of non-medical androgen use: a position statement by the Society for Endocrinology.Endocrine connections · 2026Article
- Post-cycle therapy after androgen abuse: a narrative review of mechanisms, evidence, and clinical perspectives.Endocrine connections · 2026Article
- Clinical features of androgen abuse withdrawal in men during the first year of cessation: a community dwelling study.The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 2026Article
- Bigger than sport: the enhanced games and the commodification of telehealth, testosterone, and dependency.Harm reduction journal · 2025Article
- Efficacy of human chorionic gonadotropin hormone in restoring spermatogenesis in men using non-prescribed androgens: a retrospective analysis of real-world data.F&S reports · 2025Article
- Clinician's guide to the management of azoospermia induced by exogenous testosterone or anabolic-androgenic steroids.Asian journal of andrology · 2025Review
- The sexual impact of androgenic anabolic steroid abuse an understudied phenomena.International journal of impotence research · 2025Review
- Illegal and falsified medicines self-administrated in not approved post-cycle therapy after the cessation of anabolic-androgenic steroids - qualitative analysis.Frontiers in chemistry · 2025Article
- Prolonged post-androgen abuse hypogonadism: potential mechanisms and a proposed standardized diagnosis.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Review
- A study of long-term supraphysiologic-dose anabolic-androgenic steroid use on cognitive function in middle-aged men.The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse · 2024Article
- Sleep pathology and use of anabolic androgen steroids among male weightlifters in Norway.BMC psychiatry · 2024Article
- Physical, psychological and biochemical recovery from anabolic steroid-induced hypogonadism: a scoping review.Endocrine connections · 2023Article
- The use of post-cycle therapy is associated with reduced withdrawal symptoms from anabolic-androgenic steroid use: a survey of 470 men.Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy · 2023Article
- Clustering psychopathology in male anabolic-androgenic steroid users and nonusing weightlifters.Brain and behavior · 2023Article
- Premature Death in Bodybuilders: What Do We Know?Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2023Article
- Health service engagement, side effects and concerns among men with anabolic-androgenic steroid use: a cross-sectional Norwegian study.Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy · 2023Article
- Androgenic-anabolic steroid abuse trend and management: A prospective, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey.Health science reports · 2023Article
- Survey of endocrinologists managing recovery from anabolic androgenic steroid induced hypogonadism.Reproduction & fertility · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
aimsTo assess the frequency and severity of hypogonadal symptoms in male long-term anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) misusers who have discontinued AAS use.
designCross-sectional, naturalistic.
settingOut-patient facility.
participantsTwenty-four male former long-term AAS users and 36 non-AAS-using weightlifters, recruited by advertisement in Massachusetts, USA. Five of the former users were currently receiving treatment with physiological testosterone replacement, leaving 19 untreated users for the numerical comparisons below. MEASUREMENTS: The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, questions regarding history of AAS use, physical examination, serum hormone determinations and the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF).
findingsCompared with the 36 non-AAS-using weightlifters, the 19 untreated former AAS users displayed significantly smaller testicular volumes [estimated difference, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.3 (0.1, 4.5) ml; P = 0.042] and lower serum testosterone levels [estimated difference: 95% CI = 131 (25, 227) dl; P = 0.009], with five users showing testosterone levels below 200 ng/dl despite abstinence from AAS for 3-26 months. Untreated former users also displayed significantly lower scores on the IIEF sexual desire subscale [estimated difference: 95% CI = 2.4 (1.3, 3.4) points on a 10-point scale; P < 0.001]. In the overall group of 24 treated plus untreated former users, seven (29%) had experienced major depressive episodes during AAS withdrawal; four of these had not experienced major depressive episodes at any other time. Two men (8%) had failed to regain normal libidinal or erectile function despite adequate replacement testosterone treatment.
conclusionsAmong long-term anabolic-androgenic steroid misusers, anabolic-androgenic steroid-withdrawal hypogonadism appears to be common, frequently prolonged and associated with substantial morbidity.
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Registered trials
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