The Harmful Side Effects of Steroid Use The purpose of this article is to educate the reader about the harmful side effects of steroid use and the toll they take on the body of the person who uses it. I also discuss the legal consequences of steroid possession/use and describe the false claims made by steroid dealers. Steroids are defined as man-made versions of the hormone testosterone made up of four carbon rings joined together with hydrogen molecules attached. When the dangerous consequences of steroid use are overlooked, steroids can be promoted as a useful muscle-building drug. And many people in the United States take anabolic steroid pills (anabolic means to grow or build) or inject this drug to try to get the perfect body shape. The reality is that the perfect body does not exist and the side effects of steroid use are very harmful to the body and brain. The resulting problems can be irreversible and can even cause death! Steroids, when taken orally, pass through the digestive tract and reach the liver where they are processed and released into the blood. However, steroids taken by injection enter the blood directly. In any case, the steroids end up in the bloodstream. Blood, as you know, flows everywhere in the body and has two main areas where the effects of steroids are strongest: In the limbic system The part of the brain that controls mood, memory and learning is called the limbic system. This is the part of the brain where anabolic steroids primarily work. People who use anabolic steroids usually see a decline in their grades and previous memory loss. However, the most noticeable change in a steroid user is their mood. So-called "Roid Rage" is aggressive behavior towards family, friends or even strangers. Symptoms may include severe, violent outbursts. Users may also experience feelings of depression and irritability. Inside the Endocrine System The control center for testosterone production in the brain is called the hypothalamus. In addition to testosterone production, the hypothalamus controls appetite, blood pressure, mood, and reproductive capacity. When anabolic steroids are present in the blood, they are detected as extra testosterone and the hypothalamus becomes "confused" and can disrupt the normal production and use of hormones! In men, the resulting lack of testosterone can cause the testicles to shrink, causing a drop in sperm count, reducing reproductive capacity, and triggering permanent hair loss from the scalp..