22 year old with testicular shrinkage. Fertility? Sex drive?

bodybuilder; anabolic steroids

Background

prolonged usage

frequency; dosage

terminate usage

Hormone Type

Hormonal pathway

Major endocrine glands

Lipid soluble

Water soluble

Feedback loop/ receptors

General function

unspecific to men

paranoid (extreme, unreasonable) jealousy

extreme irritability and aggression (“roid rage”)

delusions—false beliefs or ideas

impaired judgment

mania

kidney problems or failure

liver damage and tumors

enlarged heart, high blood pressure, and changes in blood cholesterol, all of which increase the risk of stroke and heart attack, even in young people

increased risk of blood clots

Specific to men

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shrinking testicles

decreased sperm count

baldness

development of breasts

increased risk for prostate cancer

withdrawl symptoms

fatigue

restlessness

loss of appetite

sleep problems

decreased sex drive

Continued steroid misuse can act on some of the same brain pathways and chemicals that are affected by other drugs, including dopamine, serotonin, and opioid systems.

Still can have long term effects: cardiovascular toxicity, especially atherosclerotic effects and cardiomyopathy

hypogonadism persisting for more than a year after discontinuing

Lipid-soluble hormones diffuse through the plasma membrane to enter the target cell and bind to a receptor protein.

Water-soluble hormones bind to a receptor protein on the plasma membrane of the cell.

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image

image

Molecules involved

Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) is a hypothalamic peptide that stimulates both the synthesis and secretion of growth hormone.

Somatostatin (SS) is a peptide produced by several tissues in the body, including the hypothalamus. Somatostatin inhibits growth hormone release in response to GHRH and to other stimulatory factors such as low blood glucose concentration.

Ghrelin is a peptide hormone secreted from the stomach. Ghrelin binds to receptors on somatotrophs and potently stimulates secretion of growth hormone.

hypothalamus

pituitary

thyroid

parathyroids

adrenals

pineal body

the ovaries

the testes