So you want to get pumped up and you’re willing to do almost anything to become bigger and more muscular. Well, if you’re considering steroids to hurry up the process, don’t. If there aren’t enough reasons to abstain from such dangerous behavior here is yet another red flag. A team of researchers from Herlev University in Copenhagen have concluded an anabolic steroids and insulin sensitivity study of 100 men aged 50 and younger and determined that the use of steroids may lead to insulin resistance.
Insulin sensitivity is a term that refers to the ability of the muscles, liver and fat cells not to use insulin properly. According to the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), when insulin sensitivity occurs it may potentially lead to the development of type 2 diabetes, NIDDK.
The research suggests that a history of abusing anabolic steroids and synthetic drugs that closely resemble male sex hormones like testosterone may result in impaired insulin sensitivity even years after the cessation of using the drugs.
The team of researchers who were led by Jon Rasmussen, MD, from Herlev University Hospital in Copenhagen, Denmark, investigated the effects of steroid use on visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and insulin sensitivity (IS). The 100 men were separated into three groups based on their use of steroids: 37 men were currently taking steroids, 33 were former users, and 30 never used steroids. To assess levels of IS the team used the Matsuda index, and conducted dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans to measure adipose tissue.
After an overnight fast of at least eight hours, the men took a standard two-hour test for diabetes called an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The men’s blood sugar and insulin levels were measured every 30 minutes for two hours during the test.
Although the study could not prove cause-and-effect, the researchers found that past and present steroid users had less insulin sensitivity than men who never abused the muscle-building drugs.
The researchers also found the men who were actively using the steroids had a lower total percentage of body fat. But these men had more deep belly fat surrounding their organs than other men. This is called visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and this type of fat has long been linked to heightened risk for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, according to previous research.
The researchers concluded that a history of anabolic steroid abuse increases the risk for reduced insulin sensitivity, even years later.
