Anabolic steroids are unfortunately used by many sportsmen and women in spite of all the warnings from the medical profession, not to mention the risk of being discovered in a doping control. How might anabolic steroids affect diabetes? They are known to disturb the glucose metabolism in people without diabetes, because they increase the body′s resistance to insulin. So they are also likely to increase insulin resistance in people who have diabetes, but this has not yet been studied. There also appears to be a risk of hormonal changes, and some reports indicate problems with impotence. The long-term effects of anabolic steroids are still not very well understood, but it is likely they will prove to be very dangerous, especially for people who also have diabetes.
This content is based on Dr Ragnar Hanas' helpful book, Type 1 Diabetes in children, adolescents and young adults. Click here to order copies of Dr Hanas' book online.