Administration of anabolic-androgenic steroids leads to body changes including changes in immune system. For an athlete those changes may have positive effects but sometimes may occur negative ones. During steroid therapy most athletes are resistant to viral infections. Latest studies on the effectiveness of steroids in people with HIV showed that such drugs as Deca Durabolin and Oxandrolone have positive effects over immune system. Due to this, many doctors prescribe anabolic steroids mentioned above to their patients.
However, if patient not observes any diseases during steroid therapy, the break in steroid administration may cause inverted effects for immune system. The immunity fights pathogenic microbes not as actively. Often those problems are connected with inverted effects of cortisone action – the hormone which is released during the apolexis in the body and also this hormone suppresses active action of immune system.
When the athlete stops to administrate steroids, his body experiences great androgens deficiency until his body supplies hormones production. Though action of testosterone and cortisone coincides in many ways, the lack of balanced androgens level leads to increase of cortisone action. Disbalance not only makes cortisone destroy muscle mass but also makes a man more vulnerable to virus diseases. Timely intake of necessary supplemental drugs (antiestrogens which stimulate testosterone action) is the best decision in such situations because it would restore balance of hormones in the period when athlete stops taking steroids.
Do not forget that during steroid therapy there may increase level of cortisone in the body. This phenomenon is called hypercortisolemia and it is quite common during steroid therapy. It is connected with anabolic-androgenic steroids, possibly, prevent body from elimination of cortocosteroids from the blood because these hormones do activate particular enzymes during their breakup.
