WASHINGTON, DC -- Too much testosterone can be bad for the brain, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Although both men and women produce the male hormone, too much of it can kill brain cells through a process called apoptosis (programmed cell death).
The research team also studied whether the female hormone estrogen had a similar effect on brain cells but found that it did not. In fact, estrogen was neuroprotective.
The findings indicate that individuals who abuse steroids to enhance performance or aid recovery after exercise could be destroying brain cells, says the researchers.