A recent study of male bodybuilders found that abusers of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS), compared with otherwise similar bodybuilders, showed a markedly increased risk of tendon ruptures, particularly upper-body tendon rupture.
142 experienced male bodybuilders aged 35 to 55 years were included in this study. 88 reported at least two years of cumulative lifetime anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) use, and 54 reported no history of AAS use. Of these, nineteen (22%) of the AAS users, but only 3 (6%) of the nonusers, reported at least one lifetime tendon rupture. Several men reported two or more lifetime tendon ruptures. Interestingly, upper-body tendon ruptures occurred exclusively in the AAS group (15 [17%] AAS users vs 0 nonusers).
Source: American Journal of Sports Medicine, published online September 11, 2015
