Flow-mediated, endothelium-dependent vasodilatation is impaired in male body builders taking anabolic-androgenic steroids

Self-administration of anabolic-androgenic steroids to increase muscular st rength and lean body mass has been used widely among athletes. Flow mediate d dilatation (FMD) determined by ultrasound of the brachial. artery is acce pted as both an in vivo index of endothelial function and an indicator for future atherosclerosis. FMD was calculated in 20 male non-smoking body buil ders in different phases of their training cycle and in six male non-smokin g control athletes. Ultrasound studies of the brachial artery were performe d according to the protocol of Celermajer et al. Of the entire training cyc le, work-out phase was training phase without actual intake of anabolic-and rogenic steroids over 8 weeks; build-up phase included actual intake of ana bolic-androgenic steroids; and competition phase consisted of 8 weeks post intake of anabolic-androgenic steroids. Baseline characteristics did not di ffer between body builder groups except for a higher weight in competition phase body builders. Hormonal analysis revealed suppressed luteinizing horm one and follicle stimulating hormone levels in build-up phase body builders . The lipid profiles showed a marked reduction of HDL-C in build-up phase b ody builders. FMD was reduced in body builders of all phases when compared to control athletes (work-out phase: 2.5 +/- 2.7%; build-up phase: 2.1 +/- 3.0%; competition phase: 0.4 +/- 2.9% vs. 10.9 +/- 4.4%, P < 0.05 by pairwi se comparison using Scheffe's test for work-out phase, build-up phase and c ompetition phase vs. control athletes). The glyceryl trinitrate-induced vas odilatation was diminished, though not statistically significantly, in body builders when compared with control athletes. The differences in FMD persi sted after adjustment for vessel size. Our data indicate that intake of ana bolic-androgenic steroids is associated with both an atherogenic blood lipi d profile and endothelial dysfunction and thus may pose an increased risk o f atherosclerosis. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserv ed.