How do Steroids Cause ED

There has been a correlation between certain medical conditions and their treatments with sexual dysfunction. Some of the most common treatments that can cause or escalate erectile dysfunction include antidepressants, antipsychotics, antiandrogens and antihypersensitives. This is the primary reason why a patient suffering from any form of sexual dysfunction including erectile dysfunction should consult with their doctor to determine if some of the medication they are taking could be the cause.

While medications have been known to cause erectile dysfunction, the jury is still out on whether steroid use can be a main factor in sexual dysfunction. The impact of steroids on the general health of the individual taking the drugs should never be diminished. When used correctly steroids can produce the desired result in bodybuilder and athletes who are looking for a solution that allows for improved performance. But when used in high amounts, steroids can interfere with the body’s own ability to produce testosterone which in some users can result in erectile dysfunction.

Yet, there is still little or no scientific evidence to support the idea that every time you use steroids, you are in effect increasing the chances of sexual dysfunction. In a recent online survey conducted by the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, there is still a lot of information to be collected if a direct line is to be drawn from steroid use to erectile dysfunction.

The study’s main goal was to determine the impact of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) use, including the agents used, dosage taken and the duration of the therapy on the user’s sexual health. To do this, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) interviewed a total of 321 men, with 231 meeting the AAS use criteria the researchers were looking for. The men were from different backgrounds, races and socio-economic status. The study asked the men to detail their steroid use over a certain period of time, detailing the dosage and duration of use.

The study’s main goal was to determine the impact of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) use, including the agents used, dosage taken and the duration of the therapy on the user’s sexual health. To do this, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) interviewed a total of 321 men, with 231 meeting the AAS use criteria the researchers were looking for. The men were from different backgrounds, races and socio-economic status. The study asked the men to detail their steroid use over a certain period of time, detailing the dosage and duration of use.

The results of this particular study showed that steroid use can impact the sexual health of the user, causing problems like erectile dysfunction, but only after long-term, high-dosage use of AAS. What is interesting about the results is the fact that it was only after the users stopped the AAS therapies did they report symptoms like ED and decreased libido. If anything this study, point out that an otherwise healthy male could remain healthy throughout the period they are using the AAS therapies only to develop sexual dysfunction after they stop.

So, Can Steroid Use Cause Sexual Dysfunction?

Most physicians agree that certain medical interventions including drugs can cause sexual dysfunction which includes low libido and erectile dysfunction in men and also inhibit sexual desire and the quality of orgasms. Steroids, even those used for the treatment of certain chronic inflammatory disorders have been known to significantly affect the level of testosterone which can inhibit sexual function and cause erectile dysfunction.

This is the main reason why there are numerous warnings about the use of anabolic steroids for recreation purposes. The biggest problem is that most people looking to improve athleticism and bodybuilders will go out of their way to purchase anabolic steroids, even purchasing them illegally. This growing number of people is essentially self-medicating and as such there is no way to know when a dosage is too high. Even more troubling is the idea that some people will become dependent on these drugs which further increases the risk of sexual health problems and other more complex conditions.

To go back to the results of the NIH studies, the longtime users who have made a habit of using anabolic steroids are at the greatest risk of developing erectile dysfunction. The study points out a key component of this growing issue; the sexual health issues such as reduced libido and erectile dysfunction only appear after the user stops the steroid therapies. This raises an issue of grave concern: the only way to prevent erectile dysfunction in an individual who has been a longtime user of steroids is to keep them on the steroid therapies.

Considering that steroids have the ability to cause serious and often fatal damage to the user’s organs, this is not a viable solution. The only way to prevent combat this problem is to only take steroids with supervision from a medical professional. Users, who take steroids prescribed by their doctors, while they may develop sexual dysfunction, will recover from these effects in full.

The danger lies in purchasing illegal steroids, usually sold on many online steroids pharmacies. If you must purchase steroids online, do so only from a reputable online store and with a prescription.