Are Steroids Bad for You? (12 Shocking Side Effects)

While steroids have legitimate medical applications and can be beneficial in certain contexts, their misuse comes with a range of serious side effects.

Men

• Breast-tissue development: Consistent steroid use can lead to hormonal imbalances, which can trigger the growth of male breasts [1].
• Testicular atrophy and reduced sperm count: Drug abuse, especially with steroids, is associated with impaired male reproductive function, testicle shrinkage, and genetic sperm damage [2].
• Erectile dysfunction: While steroids increase testosterone levels, they can lead to erectile dysfunction once you’re off the cycle, based on research published in the Translational Andrology and Urology journal [3].
• Increased risk of prostate cancer: Using steroids can cause cancer which may lead to tumor growth or enlargement of the prostate, according to the Mayo Clinic [4].

Women

• Body hair growth and scalp hair loss: Women who use steroids may experience excessive growth of body hair and lose hair from their scalp; continued administration can make these effects permanent.
• Facial hair growth: In addition to increased body hair, women who use steroids may also experience growth in facial hair [5].
• Male sex characteristics: Women who use steroids tend to experience male sex characteristics like a deepened voice, a smaller chest, and increased facial hair [6].
• High sex drive: According to WebMD, while men experience lower libido from steroid use, women experience a heightened sex drive when taking steroids [7].

Both Sexes

• Aggressive mood swings: Commonly called "roid-rage", steroid-induced aggression can occur in individuals taking large doses of steroids over an extended period of time [8].
• Mental health impact: The National Institute on Drug Abuse highlights that up to 30% of steroid users develop a dependency syndrome, and about 25% experience major psychiatric disorders like mania [9].
• Liver disease: Research from the University of California has shown that using steroids can lead to severe liver toxicity [10].
• Altered immune system: While studies, like the one published in the Open Life Science journal, show that steroids can affect your immune system, this area still needs more research [11].

“There are a lot of side effects of steroids. They are not good for you. It is like Russian roulette. Five people may take them and have no long-term problem. The sixth may end up dead.”

- Dr. Kenneth Mautner, MD, Physiatrist, Emory University

Steroids, when used correctly, offer medical benefits. Even without a doctor's prescription, they enhance muscle and athletic performance.

Medical Uses

Doctors prescribe steroids for several conditions, including:

• Delayed Puberty: A 1994 study published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood showed anabolic steroids significantly accelerate growth in boys with delayed puberty [14].
• Muscle-Skeletal Damage: Effective in orthopedic repair, anabolic steroids aid in healing damaged bones and muscles [15].
• Muscle-Wasting Diseases: For diseases like COPD, AIDS, cancer, and liver or kidney issues causing muscle loss, anabolic steroids help preserve muscle mass, as stated in the study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition [16].

Enhanced Muscle Growth and Strength

In strength sports like powerlifting and bodybuilding, anabolic steroids boost strength, muscle mass, and power. Their widespread use is partly due to many federations not testing for them.

Enhanced Athletic Performance

Having trained countless athletes, I've seen many turn to anabolic steroids to break through performance plateaus, seeking improved speed and power. Yet, research published in the Sports Medicine journal indicates steroids primarily boost recovery and power rather than just muscle mass [17].

Related Articles:

• How Fast Do Steroids Build Muscle?
• Do Steroids Work Even if You Don’t Work Out?

Yes, there are better and safer alternatives to steroids; they’re called legal steroids. While they might not be as effective at increasing muscle mass, they’re definitely a much safer option in the long run. Let’s take a quick look at them.

Natural Testosterone Boosters

In my journey from soccer to MMA, I've relied on Natural testosterone boosters like vitamin D, ashwagandha, zinc, and protein. They're safe and effective for maintaining healthy testosterone levels [18].

Their only downside is that they won’t naturally increase your T-levels past your genetic and age capacity. For example, a 30-year-old man won’t have his testosterone boosted beyond the average level for his age group. On the plus side, these supplements don’t carry any negative side effects.

Natural Bulking Stacks

Natural bulking stacks are a safe, natural, and effective way to enhance your gains in the gym.

They contain powerful blends of natural testosterone-boosting ingredients that can help you push genetic muscle-building barriers and achieve your fitness goals safely. And they don’t have the nasty side effects of illegal steroids.

We conducted a survey on more than 600 gym professionals and compiled a list of the 10 best bulking steroids that we thoroughly tested ourselves as well.