Effects of Nandrolone Decanoate on Spermatogenesis in Wistar Rats With and Without Physical Training

Androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS) are artificial testosterone analogues, used as medicine in chronic diseases, because they increase protein synthesis generating muscle hypertrophy. Its effect has caught the attention of athletes and gym users, thus their consumption has become epidemic, due to easy marketing, the immediate results and the false impression that it doesn't carry health risks. Such risks may globally harm the body. This study aims to investigate the influence on spermatogenesis of using nandrolone decanoate with or without physical training. Twenty-four rats, divided into four groups were used: sedentary group (SG), sedentary on steroids group (SSG), trained group (TG) and trained on steroids group (TSG). The animals were trained on voluntary exercise wheel twice a week during 12 weeks, and were subsequently euthanized by decapitation. Groups TSG and SSG received intramuscular injections of 5 mg / kg of the AAS. It was found that there was a greater cellularity in TSG, suggesting interference between androgen therapy and physical training on the mount of cells in the seminiferous epithelium. Comparing the TSG group with the SG, it is noticed that the physical training associated with the use of steroid tends to affect cell division without compromise, however, the number of spermatogonia, did not significantly vary compared to the control group. Finally, it seems that there was no significant statistical difference among the groups in terms of spermatogenesis yield, so that can not be said that the use of nandrolone decanoate, with or without the physical training, interfere with fertility.(AU) Los esteroides anabolicos androgenicos (EAA) son analogos de testosterona artificiales, utilizados como medicina en las enfermedades cronicas, ya que aumentan la sintesis de proteinas generando hipertrofia muscular. Su efecto ha llamado la atencion de atletas y usuarios de gimnasios, por lo que su consumo se ha convertido en epidemia, debido a la comercializacion facil, los resultados inmediatos y la falsa impresion de que no conllevan riesgos para la salud. Este estudio tiene como objetivo investigar la influencia de utilizar decanoato de nandrolona con o sin entrenamiento fisico sobre la espermatogenesis. Se utilizaron 24 ratas, divididas en cuatro grupos: entrenado (GE), entrenado en esteroides (GEE), sedentario en esteroides (GSE) y sedentario (GS). Los grupos GEE y GSE recibieron inyecciones intramusculares de 5 mg/kg de la EAA. Los animales fueron entrenados con ejercicio voluntario en la rueda de correr dos veces por semana durante 12 semanas. Luego, los animales fueron sacrificados por decapitacion. Se encontro que hubo una mayor celularidad en GEE, lo que sugiere la interferencia entre la terapia con androgenos y entrenamiento fisico en la cantidad de celulas en el epitelio seminifero. Comparando el grupo GEE con el GS, se observa que el entrenamiento fisico asociado con el uso de esteroides tiende a afectar a la division celular sin comprometerla, sin embargo, el numero de espermatogonias, no vario significativamente en comparacion con el grupo control. Finalmente, no hubo diferencia significativa entre los grupos en terminos de rendimiento de la espermatogenesis, por lo que no se puede decir que el uso del decanoato de nandrolona, con o sin el entrenamiento fisico, interfiere con la fertilidad.(AU)