Androgenic Anabolic Steroid Use and Severe Hypothalamic-Pituitary Dysfunction: a Case Study

The data of the present case demonstrate that the abuse of androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS) may lead to serious health effects. Although most clinical attention is usually directed towards peripheral side effects, the most serious central side effect, hypothalamic-pituitary-dysfunction, is often o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of sports medicine 2003-04, Vol.24 (3), p.195-196
Main Authors: van Breda, E., Keizer, H. A., Kuipers, H., Wolffenbuttel, B. H. R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Anabolic Agents - adverse effects
Atrophy
Biological and medical sciences
Doping in Sports - methods
Drug intoxications. Doping
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone - therapeutic use
Humans
Hypogonadism - chemically induced
Hypogonadism - drug therapy
Hypothalamic Diseases - chemically induced
Hypothalamic Diseases - drug therapy
Male
Medical sciences
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Physiology & Biochemistry
Pituitary Diseases - chemically induced
Pituitary Diseases - drug therapy
Testis - pathology
Treatment Outcome
Weight Lifting
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Summary:The data of the present case demonstrate that the abuse of androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS) may lead to serious health effects. Although most clinical attention is usually directed towards peripheral side effects, the most serious central side effect, hypothalamic-pituitary-dysfunction, is often overlooked in severe cases. Although this latter central side-effect usually recovers spontaneously when AAS intake is discontinued, the present case shows that spontaneous recovery does not always take place. We suggest that hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction should always be considered in the differential diagnosis in athletes seen with typical presentation of anabolic steroid use. In order to regain normal hypothalamic-pituitary function, supraphysiological doses of 200 μg LH-RH should be considered when the physiological challenge test with LH-RH (50 μg) fails to show an acceptable response.
ISSN:0172-4622
1439-3964
DOI:10.1055/s-2003-39089