Anabolic Steroids effect the regulation and production of the body’s sex hormones—testosterone in males, and estrogen and progesterone in females. As you can see, the hypothalamus in your brain produces gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), while the anterior pituitary gland produces luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). LH and FSH are released and travel throughout the body and when they reach the testicles in men or the ovaries in women, they signal the release of the human gonadal hormones — testosterone, estrogen and progesterone. The gonadal hormones then signal the hypothalamus to keep the same cycle. However, when external steroids are introduced into the body, the whole cycle is disrupted. The hypothalamus senses that there is enough testosterone or estrogen being manufactured naturally, and the body’s own release shuts down. Notice how this causes the testicles and ovaries to shrink. This may result in problems with infertility and impotence.