IV. Corticosteroids

What are corticosteroids?

Corticosteroids are a class§ of steroid hormones that are produced in the adrenal cortex. Corticosteroids are involved in a wide range of physiologic systems such as stress response, immune response and regulation of inflammation, carbohydrate metabolism, protein catabolism, blood electrolyte levels, and behaviour.

Synthetic corticosteroids are used commonly for smoothening the skin and lightening skin colour.§

They are also used to treat eye diseases or inflammatory bowel disease and used along with other drugs to prevent nausea.§

How do corticosteroids affect my body?

Corticosteroids control how carbohydrate, fat and protein are metabolised in your body§

They also promote sodium retention in your kidney.§

What happens to me when I abuse corticosteroid?

When you abuse corticosteroids you risk suffering permanent skin damage§

It many also cause your skin to thin and cause you acne§

The typical side effects you§ may experience include hypertension (abnormally high blood pressure),hypokalemia, (low potassium levels in the blood), and hypernatremia (high sodium levels in the blood)

Experimental evidence indicates that corticosteroids can also cause you permanent eye damage§