Why can taking hormone supplements be dangerous?

Judging by the size of fast-food meals and the number of X-rated Internet sites, Americans certainly think more is better. A number of quick-fix companies are trying to capitalize on that mentality by hawking extra hormones as the solution to all kinds of health problems-from weight gain to weak muscles.

However, because our hormone system is more complicated than a calculus workbook, the more-is-better philosophy doesn't fly. See, you can't just turn on all the faucets in your house, ratchet up the heat, or turn all your switches on-or you'll overload your systems and cause everything to go haywire. Any time you try fiddling with your hormones on your own with anabolic steroids or fixes for weight loss or other ailments, you're causing your body to go haywire.

For example, we often read about athletes who take androgenic steroids or supplements that get metabolized through to testosterone. This excess testosterone can lead to very aggressive behavior-as in, don't give that man a gun or even an argument-not to mention all the side effects like cardiovascular and kidney problems. If you do try to supplement your body with hormone replacement products, the best thing that can happen to you is that you'll just lose money.