I’m racking my brain trying to figure something out: On many websites, there often a warning that steroid use can cause diabetes, that it can increase insulin resistance, possibly based on a study done in 1987 that found that powerlifters ingesting huge amounts of steroids per day had abnormal glucose tolerance and excessive insulin responses (Abstract Link: Endocrine Press | Endocrine Society)Unfortunately, they don’t specify what the guys were taking, or for how long, just generalizations that they were on 200mg/day (of what?) for up to 7 years.
Yet, 1/3 of Type 2 diabetics have hypogonadism, often as a result of pituitary problems, and are placed on testosterone replacement therapy. Even the Mayo Clinic website says that anabolic steroids can DECREASE blood sugar, possibly leading to hypoglycemic episodes ( Anabolic Steroid (Oral Route, Parenteral Route) Description and Brand Names - Mayo Clinic )So, what’s the straight truth on steroids and diabetes? I’m trying to separate fact from hysteria
I am not a doctor so I am just throwing an educated guess out there, but, I would be inclined to think that the powerlifters in the study they refrenced were likely not lean and they were probably following the old “see-food” diet (whatever they see they eat). That being said, their eating habits would more likely be a contributer to their blood sugar abnormalities versus their AAS use, but again, I really don’t know.
[quote]laroyal wrote:
I am not a doctor so I am just throwing an educated guess out there, but, I would be inclined to think that the powerlifters in the study they refrenced were likely not lean and they were probably following the old “see-food” diet (whatever they see they eat). That being said, their eating habits would more likely be a contributer to their blood sugar abnormalities versus their AAS use, but again, I really don’t know. [/quote]
Exactly, often when something “runs in the family”, so does a bad habit. Over-eating, smoking, alcohol abuse, etc. High blood pressure, diabetes (type two more often), lung problems, heart conditions, are more often than not directly related to a dietary, or “lifestyle” habit…often these habits run in families. Dad smokes, son smokes, etc. Mom cooks three meals ‘fit for an army’ every day, and everyone has ‘seconds’ and ‘thirds’, and dessert…you get the picture.
The word “ingests” suggests oral steroids. I would disregard that article.
This:
discusses elevated liver enzymes as a predictor of type II diabetes [which would include insulin resistance]. This also suggests that oral steroids could lead to such problems as oral steroids are known to cause liver problems.
Low T, hypogonadism, leads to many pathologies of “old age” that can be prevented by, or reversed by HRT. TRT is part of HRT, but the goals of HRT are to restore and balance hormone levels. TRT only [no AI or hCG] is not consistent with that as it mostly creates elevated E2 levels [estsrogen dominance] that have their own pathological results in males. [Fat, weight gain, mood, memory and depressive disorders, sexual problems, prostate elargement [or acceleration], arterial disease, muscle wasting, bone loss, falling down, fractures…
Loss of interest in sex that stops ejaculation: semen is retained in the seminal vessels, goes rancid, creating immune responses, free radicals and inflammation, which spreads into the prostate. Some feel this is a major cause of prostate enlargement. Ejaculation is important to men’s health.
Adverse T:E ratios can cause these problems in men with low T. And for guys on TRT, even with TT=900-1000, E2 in the upper 30’s [053pg/ml] can create many problems.
The point of all of this, is that hormone problems can cause many things other than diabetes.