
Question
Does taking steroids affect my chances to have a baby? I have been taking steroids for a couple of years and am concerned it might impact my sperm.
Answer
Androgenic steroids are used legitimately to restore normal health to men whose bodies do not make adequate amounts of testosterone due to testicular or hormonal disorders. Use by men trying to improve their physical function or their perceived appearance represents misuse. The misuse of androgenic steroids carries significant health risks.
Such androgen misuse turns off the brain's normal drive to stimulate the testicles to make sperm and testosterone. As a result, sperm production falls markedly and the testes reduce in size. When these drugs are stopped, recovery usually takes six to 12 months for sperm production to get back to normal.