Coronary calcification in body builders using anabolic steroids
These authors measured coronary artery calcification in body builders using anabolic steroids. They found unexpectedly elevated rates of coronary calcium in these professional male body builders with no history of cardiovascular disease. It was also interesting to note that the average total cholesterol was 192 mg/dL, while mean high-density lipoprotein was 23 mg/dL. This HDL level (”good cholesterol”) is surprisingly low for athletes. This is a small study, but indicates an association between early coronary artery calcium and long-term steroid abuse. PubMed Abstract
COMMENT: Coronary calcium is not considered to be healthy. This study is very concerning, and highlights the important concerns about the negative health effects of anabolic steroids.
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