Do Anabolic Steroids Cause Hair Loss?

Can steroids cause hair loss?

The fitness and body building sector has grown tenfold since 2010, and the trend doesn't look like slowing down, any time soon.

These days, body building is in the spotlight more than ever, and that's mainly down to the rise of social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube. People are making good money from the body building sector, with self promotion on the internet, and regularly participating in competitions.

As the body building sector has grown, so has the use of anabolic steroids. With competition fierce, and an overwhelming pressure to look the part, more and more men (and even women) are using anabolic steroids in order to get that edge.

The problem is, steroids can give some pretty nasty side-effects, one of which is hair loss. So, let's look into what steroids are, and how exactly they can cause baldness...

What are anabolic steroids?

Anabolic steroids, also known more properly as anabolic–androgenic steroids, are steroidal androgens that include natural androgens like testosterone as well as synthetic androgens that are structurally related and have similar effects to testosterone.

Anabolic steroids stimulate muscle tissue to grow and "bulk up" in response to training by mimicking the effect of naturally produced testosterone on the body. Anabolic steroids can remain in the body anywhere from a couple of days to about a year.

The benefits of anabolic steroids, for a body builder, are huge. Regular use of steroids can help build strength and muscle at a much faster pace. Steroids also help the body to recover quicker, and more efficiently.

How do steroids cause hair loss?

Hair loss is a common negative side effect of steroids. If you are already prone to male pattern baldness (or female pattern baldness), then steroids can accelerate the process of hair fall.

Long-term use of steroids can lead to an increase in dihydrotestosterone DHT levels in your body. Higher levels of DHT results in hair fall.

Remember, Testosterone itself doesn't directly cause hair loss. However, increasing your testosterone levels (which is what steroids do) can also increase your levels of DHT, causing damage to your hair follicles and speeding up the effects of androgenic alopecia.

Not all users of steroids will experience hair loss, however, it is a risk, and this should therefore be taken into account before using any type of enhancement drugs.

Can hair loss caused by steroids be reversed?

It depends on the individual, but in some cases, the hair loss will stop (or slow down), once the user comes off the steroids. However, in some cases, the damage has already been done, and the hair will continue to fall out.

Hair loss can be countered with drugs like finasteride, but it s not wise to use finasteride in conjunction with anabolic steroids. Non-medical treatments such as HR23+ would be a better solution.

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