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Popular Steroid May Cause More Harm Than Good To Middle-Aged Men BETHESDA, MD -- November 6, 2000 -- Researchers at Iowa State University have discovered that androstenedione (ASD), a steroid that has been widely used by athletes, is unlikely to improve muscle size and may lead to unwanted health effects in middle-aged men. The study appears in the November issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, one of four journals published by The Endocrine Society. During the 28-day study, researchers investigated the effects of ingesting 100 mg of ASD three times a day compared to placebo in 56 healthy men between the ages of 30 and 56. The investigators did not find an increase in total testosterone levels, but did find a 40 to 50 percent increase in free testosterone levels and a 55 to 110 percent increase in dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is a powerful form of testosterone that does not have an effect on skeletal muscles, but instead it can cause the prostate to enlarge. "Although we observed a significant increase in the serum levels of testosterone in our study," said Dr. Doug King, a researcher at Iowa State University, "it is unlikely that this dose of androstenedione would enhance muscle size or strength. Most earlier research suggests that the serum testosterone must be increased by more than 100 percent in order to increase muscle strength." The ASD group also experienced a 55 to 80 percent increase in estrogen, the female sex hormone, which can cause breast enlargement in males and may have other negative health consequences. "Overall, we found that the larger dosage of androstenedione brings undesirable effects to the men and is unlikely to have positive effects," said Dr. King. "The men who took the steroid did not experience an improvement in mood, health or libido." The subjects who took ASD also experienced a decrease in HDL cholesterol, often known as the "good cholesterol." The researchers noted that this could lead to a 10 to 15 percent increase in heart disease. "Hopefully this study will lead to a better understanding of the effects that steroids have on the human body. This type of research will help us learn how steroids improve or lower a person's physical performance in athletics and also how they affect mental and physical health," said Gregory Brown, a researcher on the study. E-mail this page to a friend or colleague! To print, use this version