Table 1.
Supraphysiologic doses of commonly-used AAS administered to animals induce widespread oxidative stress, as evidenced by oxidative small molecule, DNA, mRNA, protein, and lipid modifications and antioxidant enzyme expression changes
| Study/AAS/Dose | Model | Route/Duration | Tissue | Oxidative Stress Abnormalities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Nandrolone/20 mg kg−1 | Rats | SC, Single Depot/4 Weeks | Blood | ↑TBARS |
| 2Nandrolone/10 mg kg−1 | Rabbits | IM, Twice Weekly/6 Months | Blood | ↑TBARS |
| 3Stanozolol/2 or 5 mg kg−1 | Rats | IM, Weekly/8 Weeks | Erythrocyte | ↑GPx |
| 4Testosterone/≥500 nM | TM3 Leydig Cell culture | Culture Application, 1 Hour | Leydig Cell | ↑ROS ↑Lipid Peroxides |
| 5Testosterone/5 mg kg−1 | Rats | IM, Every 48 Hours/2 Weeks | Testicular | ↑TBARS, ↑AGEs, ↓TAC |
| 6Nandrolone/10 mg kg−1 | Rats | IM, Weekly/8 Weeks | Testicular | ↑MDA, ↑8-OHdG, ↓GSH, ↓iSOD |
| 7Nandrolone/5 mg kg−1 | Rats | IM, Twice Weekly/8 Weeks | Prostate | ↑NOX1, ↑Nrf2 |
| 8Boldenone or Stanozolol/1.25 or 5 mg kg−1 | Rats | IM, Weekly/12 Weeks for Low Dose or 4 Weeks for High Dose | Testicular | ↑ROS, ↑MDA |
| 9Oxymetholone or Methyltestosterone/100 uM | Rat 1° hepatocyte culture | Culture Application, 2–4 Hours | Hepatocyte | ↓GSH |
| 10Stanozolol/2 mg kg−1 | Rats | PO, 5 Days Each Week/8 Weeks | Liver | ↑TBARS, ↑GSH, ↑SOD, ↑CAT, ↑GPx |
| 11Nandrolone/10 mg kg−1 | Rats | IM, Weekly/8 Weeks | Liver; Kidney | ↑NOX1, ↓SOD, ↓CAT, ↓Thiols; ↑Carbonyls |
| 12Nandrolone/3.75 or 10 mg kg−1 | Mice | IM, Twice Weekly/7 Weeks | Kidney | ↑MDA, ↓GPx, ↓GR |
| 13Sustanon/10 mg kg−1 | Rats | IM, Weekly/8 Weeks | Liver | ↑SOD, ↑GPx, ↑GR |
| 14Boldenone or Stanozolol/1.25 or 5 mg kg−1 | Rats | IM, Weekly/12 Weeks for Low Dose or 4 Weeks for High Dose | Liver and Kidney | ↑ROS, ↑TBARS, ↓GSH |
| 15Testosterone/8 or 80 mg kg−1 | Rats | IM, Weekly/6 Weeks | Liver | ↑MDA, ↓SOD, ↓CAT, ↓GPx, ↓GR |
| 16Nandrolone/10 mg kg−1 | Rats | IM, Thrice Weekly/6 Weeks | Kidney | ↑8-OHdG |
| 16aStanozolol/20 mg kg−1 | LDLr−/− mice | SC, Weekly/8 Weeks | Liver | ↑TBARS, ↑AOPP |
| 17Stanozolol/2 mg kg−1 | Rats | PO, 5 Days Each Week/8 Weeks | Muscle | ↑SOD |
| 18Stanozolol/5 mg kg−1 | Rats | SC, 5 Days Each Week/6 Weeks | Heart | ↑SOD, ↑CAT |
| 11Nandrolone/10 mg kg−1 | Rats | IM, Weekly/8 Weeks | Heart | ↑NOX1 |
| 19Nandrolone/10 mg kg−1 | Rats | IM, Thrice Weekly/6 Weeks | Heart | ↑Oxidized LDL, ↑NOX1, ↑8-OHdG, ↑HCY |
| 20Stanozolol/5 mg kg−1 | Rats | SC, 5 Days Each Week/4 Weeks | Heart | ↑Carbonylation |
| 21Testosterone/100 nM | Neuronal N27 Cells* | Culture Application, 48 Hours | Neuronal | ↑Peroxides ↓Thiols |
| 22Nandrolone/10 mg kg−1 | Rats | IM, Weekly/8 Weeks | PF Cortex & Hippocampus | ↑MDA, ↓GPx |
| 23Nandrolone/15 mg kg−1 | Rats | SC, Every 3rd Day/30 Days | Brain | ↑MDA, ↓Nrf2, ↓CAT |
| 24Stanozolol/10 mg kg−1 | Rats | IM, Weekly/12 Weeks | Brain | ↑GPx |
| 25Nandrolone/1.875 mg kg−1 | Rats | IM, Twice Weekly/8 Weeks | PF Cortex, Striatal, Hipp., & Cb | ↑MDA |
| 26Boldenone or Stanozolol/1.25 or 5 mg kg−1 | Rats | IM, Weekly/12 Weeks for Low Dose or 4 Weeks for High Dose | Cortical & Hipp. | ↑ROS, ↑MDA, ↓GSH |
| 27Testosterone/20 mg kg−1 | Rats | SC, Weekly/6 Weeks | Hipp. | ↑TBARS, ↓SOD |
Sex of cells not specified.
AAS: anabolic-androgenic steroid; AGEs: advanced glycation endproducts; AOPP: Advanced oxidation protein products; CAT: catalase; Cb: cerebellum; GPx: glutathione peroxidase; GR: glutathione reductase; GSH: glutathione; HCY: homocysteine; Hipp.: hippocampus; IM: intramuscular; LDL: low density lipoprotein; LDLr−/−: Low density lipid receptor deficient; MDA: malondialdehyde; NOX1: NADPH Oxidase; Nrf2: Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2; 8-OHdG: 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine; PF: prefrontal; PO: oral; ROS: reactive oxygen species; SC: subcutaneous; SOD: superoxide dismutase; TAC: total antioxidant capacity; TBARS: thiobarbituric acid reacting substances.
Cited Studies: