[Effect of anabolic steroids on osteoporosis]

Androgen inhibits osteoclastic bone resorption with increase of bone formation through androgen receptor in bone tissue. Anabolic steroids are synthetic derivates of testoterone. Anobolic steroids have favorable anabolic actions, lessening virilizing effects. Several anabolic steroids have been synthesized and some of them have been approved as a drug for anti osteoporosis. Anabolic steroids have revealed the increased bone mineral content or bone mineral density at the radius, and the lumbar spine in osteoporosis patients. Anabolic steroids have also decreased fat mass with increase of lean body mass and muscle mass, and lessened bone pain in osteoporosis patients having bone fracture, which seem to be favorable effects for especially elder osteoporosis patients. But in recent years the number of osteoporosis patients treated with anabolic steroids has been decreasing. Furthermore recently few clinical trials about the effect of anabolic steroids on osteoporosis have been reported, and prospective study for bone fracture using anabolic steroids has not reported yet. We would like to expect additional effects except on bone formation will enhance the frequency in use of anabolic steroids, and the prospective clinical study about the prevention against bone fracture will be reported in the future.