Affects of Anabolic Steroids on the Female Body Iva Whitman + Ericka Robert 1A

What Glands Do Anabolic Steroids Affect in the Female Body? Hypothalamus-regulating sex/weight/hormones Pituitary-maintaining proper hormone level secretion Gonads-effects production of sex cells Thyroid-mainly glucose level/release/absorption Adrenal-mostly androgen production

What Hormones Will Be Inhibited and Produced? Increase in testosterone,30x greater Decrease in sex hormone globulin Decline in estrogen/progesterone Decrease in follicle stimulating hormones Lack of thyroid proteins Inhibits immunomodulatory & anti viral activity of androgens like DHEA Inhibits the production of corticotrophin in blood lymphocytes

What Effect Do the Effected Hormones Have on the Female Body? Pseudohermanphroditism- in un born children, mothers undergoing use of anabolic steroids while pregnant result with babies containing male & female sex traits Ever changing levels of hormones Immune system at high risk for infection, can be hospitalized for the common cold Intolerance to insulin with decrease in glucose production

Cardiovascular disease with change in lipo proteins Hypertension Heart attack Stroke Increase concentration of clotting factors Cervical cancer Infertility Jaundice’ Tendon rupture- rapid hypertrophy in muscles puts extreme strain on ligaments and tendons

How Do These Hormones Effect Homeostasis Sex hormone secretion completely thrown off in hypothalamus, thyroid, and gonads Testosterone levels extremely imbalanced resulting in irregular sex characteristics Blood glucose levels thrown off, glucogen decreased and glucose intolerant Muscle mass development in regular recovery and building stages interrupted

Feedback Mechanisms and Antagonistic Hormones Negative feedback: before puberty, the hypothalamus suppresses the effects of estrogen by producing less. Positive feedback: during puberty and after, especially during the menstrual cycle, estrogen production increases. Anabolic steroids decrease the production of estrogen and progesterone, stimulating neg. feedback by promoting production of antagonistic hormone testosterone, which regulates muscle growth, facial hair, and how deep your voice is.

Releasing and Release-Inhibiting Hormones and Glands Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH): neurohormone that initiates the release of reproductive hormones; in women, estrogen and progesterone. These sex steroids are secreted from the gonads (ovaries) when gonadotropin levels increase. Gonadotropin release-inhibiting factor: tries to stop the release of leteinizing hormone (interstitial cell-stimulating hormone that stalls menstruation) or follicle-stimulating hormone. The gland of women is the ovaries.

If the gland doesn’t function properly? Anabolic steroids cause the ovaries to hyposecrete the hormones estrogen and progesterone, meaning levels of these hormones drop. Instead, the hypersecretion of testosterone increases, and more masculine features take over the feminine features as a result.

What can be done medically to correct the problems of the gland not functioning properly Stop taking anabolic steroids To regain a normal menstrual cycle and restore normal estrogen levels, one may have to just wait, or it may be necessary to use hormones again, like estrogen, progesterone and sometimes thyroid and herbs.