Steroid Side Effects: How to Reduce Corticosteroid Side Effects

The abuse of anabolic steroids can cause both temporary and permanent injury to anyone using them. Teenagers, whose bodies are still developing, are at heightened risk. An alarming number of them are trying steroids in hopes of improving their athletic prowess or their appearance. Ali Mohamadi, M.D., a medical officer in the Food and Drug Administration’s Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products, warns teens and parents about the dangers of steroid use. First, they’re sometimes a part of the cancer treatment itself, such as with some lymphomas and multiple myeloma. Schedule regular visits with your neuromuscular specialist to manage steroids.

This is important if you have taken routine steroid pills within the last year or completed a burst within the past two weeks. Inform all of your healthcare providers that you have been on steroid treatment. At times, rapid withdrawal of steroids can lead to a more severe syndrome of adrenal insufficiency. This can cause symptoms and health problems such as drops in blood pressure, as well as chemical changes in the blood such as high potassium or low sodium. Sometimes this can be set off by injuries or a surgical procedure. This means they take multiple doses of steroids over a period of time, stop for a period, then start up again.

In the United States, it is illegal to possess anabolic steroids without a prescription. Corticosteroids resemble cortisol, a hormone naturally produced by our body’s adrenal glands. Cortisol is a major player in a wide range of biological processes, including metabolism, immune response, and stress. Fortunately, treating abuse, addiction, and dependence on anabolic steroids is manageable and safe in the short-term.

Synthetically produced versions of testosterone, the male hormone used to promote muscle growth, enhance athletic performance, improve physical appearance. Long-term anabolic use, especially high doses, can damage your liver, kidneys, and heart. Severe fluid retention can cause heart swelling and heart failure. These drugs can also raise your LDL "bad" cholesterol, which can make you more likely to have heart attacks and strokes at any age. Their performance- and muscle-boosting powers have led to widespread misuse and abuse.

Your doctor may also suggest you take them for a short time to treat allergic reactions, like a severe poison ivy rash. Topical corticosteroids can lead to thin skin, red skin lesions and acne. If you gargle and rinse your mouth with water — don't swallow — after each puff on your corticosteroid inhaler, you may be able to avoid mouth and throat irritation. Some researchers have speculated that inhaled corticosteroid drugs may slow growth rates in children who use them for asthma.

Your physician will take your age and risk factors into account when deciding which vaccinations you need. Long-term steroids can suppress the protective role of your immune system and increase your risk of infection. Steroids are used to treat many conditions in which the body’s defense system doesn’t work properly and causes tissue damage. For other conditions, steroids might only be used sparingly or when other measures have not been successful. Steroids can also have serious psychological side effects.