To determine whether side effects from AAS use con-
tributed to an individual’s regret, we asked men whether
they experienced negative impacts on their cholesterol
levels or noted changes in their aggression, acne and lev-
els of Fuid retention (±ig. 1a). In each case, the differ-
ences between men who did and did not have regret were
not statistically signi²cant, suggesting these side effects
did not contribute to their feelings (±ig. 1a). As previous
studies (Sanford, 2012; Van den Broek
et al.
, 2013) found
partner effects and anxiety to play a role in regret, we hy-
pothesised that regretting AAS use may be associated with
a lack of spousal awareness that would then impact a
couple’s relationship (±ig. 1b). Surprisingly, most part-
ners were aware of the AAS use, and it had no effect on a
couple’s relationship (±ig. 1b).
Erectile dysfunction has previously been shown to cause
a high source of bother and regret for men post-prostatec-
tomy due to shame, embarrassment and a reduction in
general life happiness (Nelson
et al.
, 2010). We thus
sought to determine whether men regretting AAS use had
erectile dysfunction and whether it affected their mood.
Interestingly, a total of 40.5% (
n
=
32/79) of men with
prior AAS use indicated having erectile dysfunction. A
similar number of people in those men with R (50%,
n
=
6/12) and those with NR (38.8%,
n
=
26/67) experi-
enced erectile dysfunction (
P
=
0.537, ±ig. 1c). Mood was
similarly affected (
R
=
41.7%,
n
=
5/12; NR
=
32.8%,
n
=
22/67).
Lastly, we evaluated whether perception of future long-
term effects on testosterone and fertility contributed to
feelings of regret (±ig. 2). Of those men with regret, 25%
(
n
=
3/12) stated that they did not understand the poten-
tial future impact of AAS use on their serum testosterone
levels (±ig. 2a). Compared with the 56.7% of (
n
=
38/67)
men who did not experience regret, this value approached
statistical signi²cance (
P
=
0.06). However, men with
No regret of AAS use
Regret of AAS use
Percentage of survey respondents
who noted previous AAS use (
n
=
79)
84.8% (
n
=
67/79)
15.2% (
n
=
12/79)
Mean age (years)
41.1
Æ
1.0 (
n
=
67)
36.4
Æ
1.9 (
n
=
12)
Height (inches)
70.8
Æ
0.3 (
n
=
67)
71.4
Æ
0.6 (
n
=
12)
Weight (Lbs)
213.1
Æ
3.5 (
n
=
65)
208.3
Æ
10.2 (
n
=
12)
Mean BMI (kg m
À
2
)
29.9
Æ
0.5 (
n
=
65)
28.7
Æ
1.3 (
n
=
12)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual (
n
)
98.5% (
n
=
66/67)
100% (
n
=
12)
Homosexual (
n
)
1.5% (
n
=
1/67)
0%
Marital status
Single (
n
)
26.9% (
n
=
18/67)
41.7% (
n
=
5/12)
Married (
n
)
55.2% (
n
=
37/67)
41.7% (
n
=
5/12)
Divorced (
n
)
10.4% (
n
=
7/67)
16.7% (
n
=
2/12)
Cohabitating (
n
)
7.5% (
n
=
5/67)
0%
Number of children
0
35.8% (
n
=
24/67)
58.3% (
n
=
7/12)
1
–
2
58.2% (
n
=
39/67)
33.3% (
n
=
4/12)
3
–
5
4.5% (
n
=
3/67)
0%
6 or more
1.5% (
n
=
1/67)
8.3% (
n
=
1/12)
Highest level of education
Grade school
1.5% (
n
=
1/66)
0%
High school
13.6% (
n
=
9/66)
0%
Some College/University
33.3% (
n
=
22/66)
50% (
n
=
6/12)
College/University
33.3% (
n
=
22/66)
41.7% (
n
=
5/12)
Graduate level
18.2% (
n
=
12/66)
8.3% (
n
=
1/12)
Current income
<
25 000
6.1% (
n
=
4/66)
9.1% (
n
=
1/11)
25 000
–
50 000
1.5% (
n
=
1/66)
9.1% (
n
=
1/11)
50 001
–
75 000
24.2% (
n
=
16/66)
36.4% (
n
=
4/11)
75 001
–
100 000
18.2% (
n
=
12/66)
9.1% (
n
=
1/11)
100 001
–
150 000
21.2% (
n
=
14/66)
0%
150 001
–
200 000
13.6% (
n
=
9/66)
27.3% (
n
=
3/11)
>
200 000
15.2% (
n
=
10/66)
9.1% (
n
=
1/11)
Values within the columns are depicted as mean
Æ
SEM with the total number of patients for
each section shown in brackets.
Table 1.
Comparison of the demographics
between patients who either regret their deci-
sion to use AAS (
n
=
12) or are unaffected
(
n
=
68) by prior AAS use
874
©
2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH
Andrologia
2015,
47
, 872–878
Anabolic steroid use and regret
J. R. Kovac
et al.