Steroid use causes men to have a poorer ability to recognize emotions.
- Men who take steroids show a significantly lower ability to accurately recognize facial expressions of anger and disgust.
- People with steroid addiction recognize fear less well.
- Steroids are widely known for their use among athletes and bodybuilders to improve physical performance and muscle mass.
A recent study published in the journal Psychopharmacology shows that men who use steroids have difficulty accurately recognizing facial expressions of emotion.
Steroids are widely known for their use among athletes and bodybuilders to improve physical performance and muscle mass.
Emotion recognition and steroids: 171 men analyzed
Previous studies have linked steroid use to increased aggression, anxiety, depression, and personality disorders.
“We wanted to know if fluctuations in hormone levels could explain differences in emotional recognition abilities. The ability to recognize and respond to the emotions of others may have implications for social behaviors,” explains study author Morgan Scarth, a researcher at Oslo University Hospital.
The study cohort included 171 adult men engaged in intensive resistance training, divided into two main groups: those who had used steroids (94 participants) and a control group with no history of steroid use (77 participants). The steroid group was divided into two categories: those currently using steroids and those who stopped using them.
Emotions and steroids: misidentified fear, disgust and anger
Participants underwent a comprehensive assessment including emotional recognition tasks, measurements of hormone levels, and assessments of steroid dependence. Emotional recognition was tested using a computerized task in which participants identified emotions from facial expressions. Hormone levels were analyzed from blood samples, focusing in particular on the free testosterone index.
Men who took steroids showed a significantly poorer ability to accurately recognize facial expressions of anger and disgust. “Men who had previously taken anabolic steroids but stopped did not appear to exhibit the same deficits, suggesting that this effect may be temporary,” says Morgan Scarth.
Researchers also found that people with steroid addiction recognized fear less well than those without steroid addiction.
