Psychiatric and Medical Effects of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Use: A Controlled Study of 160 Athletes

doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1994.03950050035004

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Vol. 51 No. 5, May 1994

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Psychiatric and Medical Effects of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Use

A Controlled Study of 160 Athletes

Harrison G. Pope, Jr, MD; David L. Katz, MD, JD

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1994;51(5):375-382.

Abstract

Background
We sought to expand on preliminary findings suggesting thatanabolic-androgenic steroids produce psychiatric effects insome athletes who use them.

Methods
We compared 88 athletes who were using steroids with 68 nonusers,using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R to diagnosepsychiatric syndromes occurring in association with steroiduse (if applicable) and in the absence of steroid use. Demographic,medical, and laboratory measures were also performed.

Results
Steroid users displayed more frequent gynecomastia, decreasedmean testicular length, and higher cholesterol—high-densitylipoprotein ratios than nonusers. Most strikingly, 23% of steroidusers reported major mood syndromes—mania, hypomania,or major depression—in association with steroid use. Steroidusers displayed mood disorders during steroid exposure significantlymore frequently than in the absence of steroid exposure (P<.001)and significantly more frequently than nonusers (P<.01).Users rarely abused other drugs simultaneously with steroids.

Conclusion
Major mood disturbances associated with anabolic-androgenicsteroids may represent an important public health problem forathletes using steroids and sometimes for the victims of theirirritability and aggression.

Author Affiliations

From the Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Mass, and the Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.

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