Are Steroids Really Bad for Your Health? Maybe Not!

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Are Steroids Really Bad for Your Health? Maybe Not, says Steven Kotler​

Perhaps our pursuit of drug-free sports went a little too far. Many diseases supposedly linked to steroid use in adults simply do not occur, says Steven Kotler. Steroids are, however, great at combating HIV/AIDS and as an anti-aging too.

TRANSCRIPT:Steven Kotler: I had no interest whatsoever in steroids. I got involved in this because an editor who is a friend of mine called me up and said Jose Canseco just wrote this crazy book where he said steroids are the wonder drug of tomorrow. And I said look man, I am not much of a baseball fan. It kind of bores me and everybody knows steroids are terrible for you. Canseco’s out of his mind. There’s no way – like you’re wasting my time. And he said, you know, it was very, very convincing. He said I’ll pay you to do the research. I was like absolutely I’m in. So I started looking at it and I just started I said okay, I’m just going to read – I’m going to go back ten years and read the articles in major journals – The New England Journal of Medicine, Science, Nature – that kind of thing. I’m not even going to go that deep. Very very quickly what I started to discover is every single thing I thought I knew about steroids was wrong. Every crazy disease these drugs had been linked to have nothing to do with it. I’ll give you a phenomenal example. Steroids were linked to liver cancer, liver problems, right. It had nothing to do with the steroid. It has to do with the coating they put around the steroid so it could pass through the stomach and get into your bloodstream. That was what was causing the problems. That coating has obviously since been replaced. But Nick Evans who’s at UCLA is the only person literally in history whose ever done long-term steroid studies, right. Long term abusers. Body builders, double and triple stacking steroids for 10, 20 years at a time.

None of the things we’ve been told about are real. The only danger he found is since the heart is a muscle there is a certain point if you’re taking massive massive doses over long periods of time it can expand it, it can grow, right and grow bigger than the blood vessels and the ventricles and what not which would be a problem. And this doesn’t mean, by the way, when teenagers use steroids, right, when you’re still producing lots of these substances it’s an absolute disaster, right. That’s bad news. But in adults everything we’ve been told tends to be wrong and some of what we’ve been told costs millions of lives, right. It turns out steroids are phenomenal, phenomenal in fighting back AIDS. They’re really, really, really good. Nobody wanted to talk about it. When doctors started treating AIDS patients with it the guy who started doing this was a guy named Walter Jekot. The government jumped in and put him in jail for five years. He scared the hell out of a ton of doctors and the result of this kind of us trying to keep sports pure and, you know, preserve the competitive advantage has been millions of people died as a result. So not only is everything you’ve been told about steroids wrong, but there were a lot of consequences. The people who have been at the forefront of this and kind of pushing it forward is the life extension community, right. Our hormones decline as we age so the idea here is we can replace them. And they’ve been working on this stuff for 10, 15 years at this point with some success. It is now one of five or six different ways people are attacking aging, right, and fighting back death. But one thing seems to be sure. Since Google’s in the anti-death game, right, Peter Diamandis, my partner, in Bold and Abundance has human longevity incorporated there in the life extension game. There are big companies, massive amounts of resources getting involved and steroids are a piece of this puzzle. And I think we’re going to have to as a country rethink our position on these drugs and anti-aging stuff is going to force us to do it.

 

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The Fine Print of Fitness: What Your Trainer Isn’t Telling You About Steroids and Nutrition​

In modern fitness, pursuing peak performance often goes beyond hard work in the gym. Many athletes and fitness enthusiasts turn to steroids and specialized nutrition plans to enhance their results. While these methods can lead to impressive gains in strength, muscle mass, and recovery, a hidden side is not often discussed.

Steroids, when used improperly, and extreme dietary protocols come with risks that can affect your long-term health. Understanding the "fine print" behind these practices is crucial to make informed decisions.

Understanding Anabolic Steroids and Their Role​

Anabolic steroids are synthetic versions of testosterone designed to promote muscle hypertrophy (muscle growth) and enhance athletic performance. These substances accelerate muscle protein synthesis, leading to faster recovery times and increased strength.

Androgens, the class of hormones to which testosterone belongs, play a key role in regulating muscle mass, energy levels, and even aggression—all critical factors in sports performance.

While some countries allow steroids for medical use, their non-medical use is illegal in many places, including for athletic enhancement. Ethically, the use of performance-enhancing drugs raises questions about fair competition, integrity, and personal responsibility, with athletes often facing life-altering consequences if caught.

Nutritional Supplements and Dietary Protocols​

Nutrition is important in boosting athletic performance, aiding recovery, and building muscle. Many athletes use supplements like protein powders, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), and creatine to increase their muscle-building potential.

Common supplementation strategies often involve timing the intake of proteins and other nutrients to optimize metabolic rates and muscle recovery. For example, taking fast-digesting protein sources like whey immediately post-workout is believed to jumpstart the repair process.

Peptide hormones and essential amino acids are also popular for stimulating muscle growth, boosting recovery, and enhancing overall fitness. However, it’s easy to overlook that not all supplements are created equal, and quality matters when choosing the right products.

Health Risks and Side Effects​

Steroids can disrupt the body’s natural hormonal balance, leading to serious health issues. Long-term use of anabolic steroids has been linked to a variety of problems, including liver damage, hypertension, and alterations in cholesterol levels.

Steroids can also increase oxidative stress in the body, causing harmful effects on liver enzymes and disrupting the body’s natural detoxification processes. In some cases, prolonged use may lead to irreversible changes in hormone levels, affecting reproductive health and overall well-being.

The long-term impact of steroids on health extends beyond immediate side effects. Steroid use can weaken bone density, elevate cardiovascular risk, and suppress immune function, leaving the body vulnerable to infections and other diseases.

High levels of homocysteine, a marker of cardiovascular risk, are often associated with steroid use, which can also lead to increased fat storage in fatty tissues, contradicting the aesthetic goals of many users. Managing these risks requires vigilance and, in many cases, medical intervention.

The Science Behind Muscle Growth and Recovery​

Muscle growth and recovery hinge on the balance between catabolism (muscle breakdown) and anabolism (muscle building). Anabolic steroids artificially enhance the anabolic process, allowing for rapid gains in muscle mass.

Glycogen stores in the muscles and insulin sensitivity also play a significant role in muscle recovery. The quicker your body can restore glycogen after a workout, the faster it can rebuild muscle fibers, allowing for better performance in subsequent training sessions.

Consuming the right nutrients at the right time, particularly around your workout window, can significantly impact your ability to retain muscle while minimizing fat gain. Proper nutrient timing can also help control appetite and improve metabolic efficiency, enabling you to burn fat more effectively while preserving muscle mass.

What Trainers May Not Tell You​

Many trainers focus on the short-term benefits of steroids and specialized diets without fully explaining the long-term consequences. For example, while anabolic steroids can produce rapid muscle growth, they can also cause significant hormonal imbalances, requiring hormone replacement therapy (HRT) later in life.

Nutrition-wise, extreme diets can lead to nutrient deficiencies, making it hard to maintain overall health. Trainers may not always disclose the potential dangers because the allure of quick results often outweighs the risks in the minds of many clients.

When considering the use of steroids or specialized nutrition plans, it’s important to gather comprehensive information from medical professionals or experts in the field. Balance your performance goals with long-term health considerations.

What works for someone else may not suit you, and the risks might outweigh the benefits depending on your circumstances. Making informed decisions based on the short- and long-term impact on your health is crucial.

Frequently Asked Questions​

How can I make sure my supplement choices are safe?

Always buy from reputable brands that provide third-party testing for purity and potency. Consult a healthcare professional to ensure your supplements are appropriate for your fitness goals and overall health.

What are the most common side effects of steroid use?

Common side effects include mood swings, acne, high blood pressure, changes in cholesterol levels, and liver toxicity. In men, there can be a reduction in natural testosterone production, while women may experience masculinization effects.

Can I achieve similar results without using steroids?

Yes, you can build muscle and improve performance with a proper diet, exercise regimen, and legal supplements. While progress may be slower, the results are more sustainable and have fewer health risks.