ReviewReviews in endocrine & metabolic disorders2021
How the love of muscle can break a heart: Impact of anabolic androgenic steroids on skeletal muscle hypertrophy, metabolic and cardiovascular health.
Review in Reviews in endocrine & metabolic disorders, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 24 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
24 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 57 citations in OpenAlex.
- Alterations in the lipid profile in acne vulgaris patients: A meta-analysis.The Journal of international medical research · 2026Pooled it
- Effects of Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy on Fat Mass and Glucose Homeostasis in Humans and Animals: A Narrative Review with Systematic Literature Search.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2025Pooled it
- Review
- Comprehensive metabolic profiling of fluoxymesterone in vivo by GC-Orbitrap HRMS: a integrated strategy for novel biomarkers discovery in doping analysis.Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry · 2026Article
- Testosterone-Induced Heart Failure in a Professional Dancer.JACC. Case reports · 2026Article
- Preventing Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in Young Male Androgen Abusers.Clinical cardiology · 2026Review
- Confidence in Managing Use and Minimising Harm as Mediators of Quality of Life among Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Consumers in Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Settings.European addiction research · 2026Article
- Impact of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Abuse on the Cardiovascular System: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Implications.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Harm reduction measures in a recreational gym user with anabolic androgenic steroid dependence: a case report in the context of current best clinical practice.Harm reduction journal · 2025Article
- Best Practice Guidance for Male Individuals Using Anabolic Androgenic Steroids in Recreational Sports Within Primary Care: Protocol for a Modified Delphi Consensus Study.JMIR research protocols · 2025Article
- Managing risks and harms associated with the use of anabolic steroids: a qualitative study.Harm reduction journal · 2025Article
- Anabolic androgenic steroids and illicit drugs as potential modulating factors in malignant hyperthermia: a case series.Anaesthesiology intensive therapy · 2025Article
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Muscle Dysmorphia and Anabolic Steroid-Related Psychopathology: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Rising sudden cardiac deaths among young Indian actors and models: The role of steroids, extreme fitness, and societal pressure.Global cardiology science & practice · 2025Article
- Knowledge, attitude and practice towards anabolic-androgenic steroids utilisation among gymnasium attendees in Al-Qassim Province, Saudi Arabia.Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society · 2025Article
- Sex-Chromosome-Related Dimorphism in Steroidogenic Enzymes and Androgen Receptor in Response to Testosterone Treatment: An In Vitro Study on Human Primary Skeletal Muscle Cells.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Article
- The impact of image and performance enhancing drugs on atrial structure and function in resistance trained individuals.Echo research and practice · 2023Article
- The role of androgens in pressure overload myocardial hypertrophy.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2023Review
- The Roles of Androgens in Humans: Biology, Metabolic Regulation and Health.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022Review
- Case Report: Resolution of radiation pneumonitis with androgens and growth hormone.Frontiers in oncology · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
It is estimated 6.4% of males and 1.6% of females globally use anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS), mostly for appearance and performance enhancing reasons. In combination with resistance exercise, AAS use increases muscle protein synthesis resulting in skeletal muscle hypertrophy and increased performance. Primarily through binding to the androgen receptor, AAS exert their hypertrophic effects via genomic, non-genomic and anti-catabolic mechanisms. However, chronic AAS use also has a detrimental effect on metabolism ultimately increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Much research has focused on AAS effects on blood lipids and lipoproteins, with abnormal concentrations of these associated with insulin resistance, hypertension and increased visceral adipose tissue (VAT). This clustering of interconnected abnormalities is often referred as metabolic syndrome (MetS). Therefore, the aim of this review is to explore the impact of AAS use on mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and markers of MetS. AAS use markedly decreases high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and increases low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Chronic AAS use also appears to cause higher fasting insulin levels and impaired glucose tolerance and possibly higher levels of VAT; however, research is currently lacking on the effects of AAS use on glucose metabolism. While cessation of AAS use can restore normal lipid levels, it may lead to withdrawal symptoms such as depression and hypogonadism that can increase CVD risk. Research is currently lacking on effective treatments for withdrawal symptoms and further long-term research is warranted on the effects of AAS use on metabolic health in males and females.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.