Do Exogenous Anabolic Androgenic Steroids Increase Risk of Viral Illness?

All anabolic androgenic steroids (endogenous and exogenous) adversely affect the immune system. For example the reduction in antibody production as a result of reduced activity of leukocytes (white blood cell) due to the effects of anabolic steroids. Therefore anabolic androgenic steroids will cause secondary immunodeficiency. Secondary immunodeficiency is when immunity is suppressed by external factors (not caused by gene expression).

Secondary immunodeficiency has been shown in many studies to be induced by using physiological doses of anabolic steroids. In a study regarding Nandrolone Decanoate and Anadrol, it was shown that Nandrolone and Anadrol directly interferes with the immune function. This is seen by a drastic increase in production of inflammatory cytokines interleukin 1 beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha, which alters the immune function. Nandrolone was also shown to suppress interferon production in human WISH cells. In another study regarding Trenbolone and Winstrol (Stanozol), it was revealed that they both hindered the production of lymphocytes by affecting the DNA, hence DNA replication cannot occur, preventing the replication of lymphocytes, therefore being classified as cytotoxic. However, we do not know the extent of immunity suppression that those anabolic steroids induce, as the first study was done in a leukocyte culture, so the effects of endogenous hormones combined with the exogenic anabolic steroids was not seen. Furthermore, the second study was done on stem cells, therefore it is not an accurate representation of a human body.

Another series of studies which were done on rodents gives a better representation of the mechanism of which anabolic steroids affect immunity. The first study was conducted by using the compounds Testosterone, Teslac, Anavar And Winstrol. The study shows that all of the compounds have shown significant immunosuppression in the first 5 days, however,

 after 10 days, Winstrol, Teslec and Anavar compounds have shown immunostimulation and exceeded the baseline immunity. A second study was done with two groups of rodents. The first group being castrated (no testosterone production) and the second group being intact. The compounds, anavar (chosen as it has the greatest androgenic and anabolic activity ratio (1:13)), testosterone and anavar combined with testosterone were given to both groups. In the intact group, traces amounts of testosterone were found with the anavar compound, meaning that HPTA has been suppressed, and had a 41% increase in immune function (measured by DTH). While the testosterone and testosterone + anavar compounds have both shown immunosuppression, in which the testosterone compound has shown a 36% decrease in DTH. Whilst in the castrated group, when the rodents were not given any compound, DTH responses showed a 90% increase. However, after receiving anavar, rodents DTH levels have returned back to baseline. Significant suppression of DTH (45%) was shown when both testosterone and anavar were given to the rodents. As physiological doses of Anavar, the compound suppresses HPTA, which inturn suppresses LH, therefore reduces testosterone production. This may suggest that testosterone, or testosterone derived anabolic steroids have a negative correlation with DTH.

Overall majority of studies shows that anabolic androgenic steroids cause immunosuppression, especially relating to antibody production. However, little research has been made on humans. Therefore we cannot conclude that the physiological doses of exogenous anabolic androgenic steroids would have the same scale of effect it had on rodents. Nevertheless, we cannot dismiss the concrete evidence that anabolic steroids do suppress immune responses. Ultimately, I must conclude that exogenous anabolic androgenic steroids may leave you to be more vulnerable to viral virus, but we do not know to what extent.