Why do steroids shrink testicles?

Many people understand steroids as something to do with bodybuilding.  Indeed, people who want to have bigger muscles take anabolic steroids for this particular purpose.  It is also common for those who want to build bigger muscles and join bodybuilding competitions to take steroids for faster muscle-building effects.  Some people even try to take too much of this type of drug just to bulk up faster.  But as with any other drug, steroids also have serious side effects.

One such side effect is testicle shrinkage.  It has been medically documented that men taking steroids regularly have experienced atrophy in their testicles and even their penises.  Although this may be the worst news for any man, many still continue taking steroids to build muscle faster.

In terms of testicle shrinkage, what actually happens is that the testicles themselves basically shut down the production of testosterone.  Normally, the cells in men’s testicles produce the testosterone their bodies need.  When these men go to the gym and exercise, they will need more of this testosterone in order to build more bulk in their muscles.  But the testicles won’t be able to produce enough testosterone to make muscle building faster.  So for this reason, men will try taking anabolic steroids.  These steroids will then act to produce more testosterone in the bloodstream making them readily available for muscle building.

The more testosterone present in the bloodstream, the faster the muscle built up.  However, this whole process of artificial testosterone production will eventually shut down the body’s natural way of producing it.  Over a prolonged period of using steroids, the testicles will basically stop producing testosterone which will  literally make them shrink in size.  With testosterone already present in the bloodstream, the testicles are somewhat signaled to stop their own production.  Over time, the testicles and even the penis will atrophy and become smaller because of regular steroid intake.