Effects of anabolic-androgenic steroids on weight-lifters' myocardium: an ultrasonic videodensitometric study

Anabolic steroid use may alter the texture of the heart muscle of weight lifters. Using ultrasonic videodensitometry, researchers detected changes in the heart wall texture in ten weight lifters who used anabolic steroids. Particularly, the left ventricle was enlarged and an altered cycle variation index at various sites. No such physiological abnormalities were apparent in the hearts of ten weight lifters who never used steroids and a group of ten sedentary healthy adults.