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Psychological moods and subjectively perceived behavioral and somatic changes accompanying anabolic-androgenic steroid use

U.S. Army Physical Fitness School, Ft. Harrison, Indiana

James E. Wright, PhD

Sport Science Consultants, Northridge, California

Richard H. Strauss, MD

Departments of Preventive Medicine and Internal Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Don H. Catlin, MD

Departments of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, California

To assess physiological and psychological states ac companying anabolic-androgenic steroid use, male weight lifters 1) were interviewed regarding their phys ical training and the patterns and effects of any drug use; 2) completed a written physical and medical history questionnaire, a Profile of Mood States questionnaire, and the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory; and 3) were physically examined, including a blood sample and uri nalysis. Subjects were divided into current anabolic- androgenic steroid users (N = 12), previous users (N = 14), and nonusers (N = 24). Current and previous users reported the following changes associated with ana bolic-androgenic steroid use: increases in enthusiasm, aggression, and irritability; changes in insomnia, muscle size, muscle strength and density; faster recovery from workouts and injuries; and changes in libido. We were unable to confirm these interview and physical and medical history questionnaire responses using stand ardized and well-accepted psychological inventories. There were no significant differences among groups for any Profile of Moods factor, total mood disturbance, total Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory score, or any subscale. For current users, there were no significant correlations between either total weekly drug dose or length of time on the current cycle of anabolic-andro genic steroids and any individual scale of the Profile of Mood States, Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory, Profile of Mood States total mood disturbance, or composite Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory score. Furthermore, anabolic-androgenic steroid users did not differ in their responses on these inventories from nonusers or from general population norms. The presence of subjectively perceived, anabolic-androgenic steroid-associated be havioral and somatic changes in the absence of signif icant differences in standard psychological inventory responses illustrates the complexity of these relation ships. Our data suggest that while perceived or actual psychological changes may occur in anabolic-andro genic steroid users, either the effects are too subtle or the inventories used were insensitive for detecting them.

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