Tigerscuba once bubbled...
I am instructor and recently had a prospective student approach me about lessons. He is a professional athlete and asked me of the dangers of combining diving and steroids. I have no knowledge of them and suggested he ask his doc. He returned and stated that the doc had no answer. Should I just turn him away or will he be ok.....I'm afraid if I cant give him a proper answer he'll go somwhere else and not advise them of his usage of steroids..
There are 2 classes of steroids. There are no known adverse side effects associated with steroids and diving. However, these medications taken over a long time at high doses can cause changes in the body that could have adverse effects on diving.
If started within 1 year, most of these notes apply.
Catabolic steroids [e.g. hydrocortisone] are used to treat reactions such as eczema, stings, and bites, or disease like asthma. The drug is often given topically or ingested. A major issue with diving is the
disease that the drug is being used for treatment. That would be of concern. For topical use there are few concerns, but for systemic diseases, like asthma or lupus, it would depend on the individual case.
Anabolic steroids [e.g. testosterone] would be of concern similarly, its not the drug per se at depth but the reason for taking it, its doses, and the long term effects on the body. Among problems, it causes heart disease, hypertension, and most concerningly, irritability and a tendency to violent rages within a few months of use. Such mental instabilities at depth could be fatal. In rarer cases, a diver could take an anabolic steroid to replace deficiencies and this poses little hazard.
Take home message:
Steroid use requires clearance from the user's physician prior to diving
