Muscle Supplements Increase Risks of Testicular Cancer; 8 Signs, Symptoms & Treatment Facts

Bodybuilding supplements may increase the risk for testicular cancer in men who use them, according to a study.

The study published in the journal Nature states that workout supplements containing androstenedione or creatine is linked to a higher rate of testicular cancer among men. Those who use bodybuilding supplements had a 65 percent higher risk of developing testicular cancer than those who do not use them.

The observed relationship was "strong," according to lead researcher Tongzhang Zheng in a press release published in a website by Brown University.  "If you used at [an] earlier age, you had a higher risk. If you used them longer, you had a higher risk. If you used multiple types, you had a higher risk."

The rates of testicular cancer from 1975 and 2011 rose from 3.7 to 5.9 cases for every hundred thousand men, according to Medical Daily.  The substances, creatine and androstenedione, have been used in supplements to improve performance and strength. While creatine is generally safe for the body, androstenedione can cause a range of harmful side effects apart from increasing testosterone production. Some of the effects include acne, mood swings, and depression.

Zheng and his colleagues interviewed about 900 men, 365 of whom had testicular cancer. The participants were asked about their medical histories, use of supplements, and other cancer risk factors.

"Considering the magnitude of the association and the observed dose-response trends, muscle-building supplement use may be an important and modifiable exposure that could have important scientific and clinical importance for preventing testicular germ cell cancer development if this association is confirmed by future studies," the authors concluded in the study.

According to Medicine Net, the cause of testicular cancer is unknown. However, there are risk factors that can contribute to its development.

1.) Testicular cancer is described as a tumor or lump in the testis. It has a cure rate of about 95 percent when detected early, according to Andrology Australia.

2.) Some signs and symptoms of testicular cancer are lumps, swelling, and pain in the testicles and scrotum, according to American Cancer Society.

3.) Some risk factors for increasing the chance of developing the disease are HIV infection, CIS, an undescended testicle, cancer in the other testicle, and even age, body size, and ethnicity.

4.) Testicular cancer can be diagnosed through ultrasound, blood tests, biopsy of testicular tissue, and the patient's history and physical records.

5.) Testicular cancer is not very common and majority of these cases occur in men ages 20 to 34.

6.) The cancer can be cured through chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery.

7.) The treatments have several long term side effects including infertility, kidney damage, increase heart disease risk, and low testosterone level, according to Cancer.net.

8.) There are clinical trials available for men with testicular cancer. It is available in the National Cancer Institute's website.