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Oman, Muscat: Today, an increased number of men are using anabolic steroids to get more muscle mass, increase their energy, and achieve a certain level of fitness, without fully knowing that these drugs can lead to infertility as a serious side effect. The usage of anabolic steroids is not limited to adults; even teenagers are making use of these drugs, which is an even bigger concern.
Quoting a recent study - a news report posted on Independent.co.uk says that men have a 90 per cent chance of becoming sterile because of these performance-enhancing drugs.
Dr. Francisco Ruiz- Medical Director at IVI Fertility Clinic, Muscat, said, “Most of the users do not have the slightest hint that anabolic steroids have a detrimental effect on their overall health, including their ability to produce sperm. These drugs can shrink their testicles, and may even cause prostate cancer, among other health problems. In terms of fertility, it is observed that the impact can be reversed if men stop taking the drugs for a year. However, there are some cases where the damage becomes irreversible, especially if the drugs are used in large doses for a long period.”
“It is quite alarming that most of the anabolic steroid users are unaware of the danger that these drugs pose to their fertility level. We need to raise awareness about the side effects of these steroids to facilitate an informed decision on the intake of these drugs. We strongly recommend discontinuation of anabolic steroids all together to protect health and fertility of the users,” added Dr. Ruiz.
Anabolic steroids are normally used by men to raise their testosterone level, which results in increased muscle mass and improved muscle strength. The drugs, however, have a different impact on the testicles. The testicles’ testosterone production declines as a side effect, leading to the user having a decreased or even zero sperm count. Furthermore, researchers have investigated the damage that anabolic steroids generate on the structure of the sperm cells, as well.
For infertility cases arising due to low sperm count in men, Dr. Ruiz recommends the Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) treatment approach that has helped many patients facing male infertility issues. This procedure involves extracting a sperm from a sample of semen, or by a testicular biopsy, to select the most appropriate sperm to fertilize the eggs. The ICSI method can be included as part of the couples’ In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatment method and is available at IVI Middle East Fertility Clinics.
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