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BackgroundAnabolic–androgenic steroids (AAS) are synthetic drugs derived from testosterone, the uncontrolled usage of which may lead to serious side effects. Previous studies have shown that resistance training (RT) is the main exercise modality practiced by AAS abusers. Thus, this work was carried out to evaluate the hepatotoxic effects of sustanon (Su) as an example of AAS in trained male rats.MethodsRats were divided into sedentary/non-Su, sedentary/Su, RT/non-Su, and RT/Su. Su-administration groups received Su 10 mg/kg intramuscularly once a week for 8 weeks. In the 8-week RT, the rats climbed a vertical ladder 3 days/week.ResultsAfter Su administration, the mean values of serum parameters related to hepatic function were within normal ranges. Superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase activities were higher (P < 0.05) in the liver of Su-treated rats. Chronic exercise alone did not change any of the above parameters.ConclusionsThe present findings suggest that the 8-week injection of Su, either with or without concurrent RT upregulation of enzymatic antioxidant activities and RT, did not attenuate the increase of enzymatic activities due to the Su administration. Furthermore, Su abuse in this dose did not make any severe liver damage.

Objectives: Abuse of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) has increased. Previous studies have shown that resistance training (RT) is the main exercise modality practiced by AAS abusers and people often use them in different training situations. Thus propose of this study was to evaluate the hepatotoxic effects of sustanon (Su) as an example of anabolic androgenic steroids in male rats with and without RT experience.Methods: Rats were divided into seven groups: control; Su -untreated sedentary rats (non-Su/ Sed); Sutreated sedentary rats (Su/Sed); Su -untreated trained rats (non-Su/Tr); Su -treated trained rats (Su/Tr); Suuntreated experience trained rats (non-Su/XTr); Su -treated experience trained rats (Su/XTr). Su -treated groups received sustanon 10 mg/kg intramuscularly once a week for 8 weeks. In the Tr and XTr groups, the animals climbed a 1.1 m vertical ladder, 3 days per week for 8 and 12 week, respectively. Results:After Su -treatment, the mean values of serum parameters related to hepatic function were within normal ranges. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GR) activities were higher (P<0.05) in the liver of Su treatment groups. Tr and XTr did not change any of the above parameters. Conclusion:The present findings suggest that the injection of Su during 8 weeks, either with or without RT up-regulation of enzymatic antioxidant activities. Moreover, these data demonstrated that liver function tests do not always reflect liver abnormalities particularly at the initial stages.

Study aim: To investigate the effect of a 2-week supplementation with Tribulus terrestris L. (TT) on the responses of testosterone, cortisol, and thyroid hormones including triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) following an intensive session of resistance exercise (RE). Materials and methods: Twenty-two healthy non-athlete men (23.8 ± 3.1 years) participated in this study were divided into two groups and were randomly assigned to receive either TT supplementation (n = 11) or a placebo (n = 11). They consumed two 250-mg capsules with TT or placebo (maltodextrin) per day and performed six REs with the intensity 80-90% of 1RM on the fifteen day of the experiment. Venous blood samples were drawn before supplementation, and before and after the RE session. Results: The mean values of post-exercise testosterone and cortisol in both groups were significantly higher than pre-exercise and baseline (p < 0.01); however, there were no significant differences between the groups (p > 0.05). Likewise, despite a trend toward different levels of the responses of thyroid hormones with TT supplementation, there were no significant differences either in different time points or the groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Short-term supplementation with TT appears to be ineffective in changing the hormonal responses measured in this study following a session of high-intensity RE.