Former Swedish male elite athletes in power sports had ~45% excess mortality at ages 20-50 and a 2-4 times increased suicide rate at ages 30-50 compared to the general male population.
Cohort
Physical training has been shown to reduce mortality in normal subjects, and athletes have a healthier lifestyle after their active career as compared with normal subjects. Since the 1950s, the use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) has been frequent, especially in power sports. The aim of the present study was to investigate mortality, including causes of death, in former Swedish male elite athletes, active 1960-1979, in wrestling, powerlifting, Olympic lifting, and the throwing events in track and field when the suspicion of former AAS use was high. Results indicate that, during the age period of 20-50 years, there was an excess mortality of around 45%. However, when analyzing the total study period, the mortality was not increased. Mortality from suicide was increased 2-4 times among the former athletes during the period of 30-50 years of age compared with the general population of men. Mortality rate from malignancy was lower among the athletes. As the use of AAS was marked between 1960 and 1979 and was not doping-listed until 1975, it seems probable that the effect of AAS use might play a part in the observed increased mortality and suicide rate. The otherwise healthy lifestyle among the athletes might explain the low malignancy rates.
Lindqvist et al. (Thu,) conducted a cohort in Former elite male athletes in power sports. Former elite power sports participation (suspected anabolic androgenic steroid use) vs. General population of men was evaluated on Mortality, including causes of death. Former Swedish male elite athletes in power sports had ~45% excess mortality at ages 20-50 and a 2-4 times increased suicide rate at ages 30-50 compared to the general male population.