Sports enhancers or ergogenics, which include everything from steroids to hormones to over-the-counter supplements, can improve athletic performance and help muscles work more efficiently, but are the people taking them playing a dangerous game? Physicians at the University of Michigan Health System say there is no telling what long-term effects these powders and pills can cause. However, a recent study found that when the body processes creatine it forms formaldehyde--a toxic substance that can damage everything from artery walls to muscle. Athletes taking steroids or growth hormones are at a greater risk. "Growth hormone is found in your body in limited amounts and [disrupting] that delicate balance is not a good idea. There are legitimate uses of growth hormone, but the potential side effects are concerning, therefore monitoring by a physician is [imperative]," says Wojtys. Steroids, in addition to the well-publicized tendencies toward anger, cause altered hair growth throughout the body, acne, other cosmetic problems and a significant change in a person's voice. "Keep in mind that for males some of these side effects are reversible after short-term use, but in females, it's thought that most of these effects are not reversible," Wojtys says.
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