Background: This study compared a group of 47 regular gym users who take androgenic-anabolic steroids (the AAS group) as part of their recreational sport, with a group of 48 regular gym users who do not use AAS (the Non-AAS group) on self-reports of Retrospective memory (RM), executive function (EF) and prospective memory (PM), which are all critical to everyday remembering.
Not just bodybuilders and weightlifters, but also an increasing number of non-professional gym users take steroids to improve muscle growth and sporting performance. A British study published in “The Open Psychiatry Journal” has now revealed that these steroids adversely affect everyday memory.
Researchers at Northumbria University enrolled 100 males aged 18-30 who were regular gym users in the study. Half of the group used steroids. They found that steroid users were 39 per cent more forgetting in terms of prospective memory, 28 per cent more forgetting when recalling past memories or previous facts, and had a 32 per cent difference in their mental executive function compared to non-users.
“Our findings suggest that long-term use of anabolic-androgenic steroids has a significant impact on an individual’s everyday memory and ability to remember. This could affect many spheres of life, including interpersonal, occupational, educational and health-related aspects,” explained study author Tom Hefferman.
Conclusion: It was concluded that AAS use in a recreational sports context is associated with RM, EF and PM deficits, indicating that AAS use may damage everyday remembering.