Can steroids kill you?

How much dosage is too much?

In the short term no, but in the long run yes. There is no established toxic dose of testosterone or steroids, only known is optimal or high dose. There is no known case of acute fatal outcome due to overdosing of steroids. Nonetheless, there are thousands of known cases of complications caused due to steroids addiction. These side effects mostly occur in those who continue to take steroids in very high dosages for years together, without listening to the specialists.

In short run, one may not feel any side effects even by taking steroid at much higher dosages, but experts agree that exceeding the dose would not give more benefit and would only increase the risk of side effects. Thus most professionals think that 500-700 mg of testosterone a week is enough. Taking higher doses like 1000 or 2000 mg would not give extra benefit.

However, a higher dose may put extra load on kidneys and liver. Thus there are higher chances of kidney failure, liver damage. Cardiac complications are a common reason for early death due to steroids addiction. Steroids increase blood pressure, make the heart work more and faster, make blood vessels harder or less elastic. Further, steroids may also increase levels of bad cholesterol thus increasing the risk of heart disease.

Testosterone may also result in mood swings. In some individual higher dosages may cause higher levels of aggression in some.

Can steroids damage muscles?

Though it is rare, still it is a possibility. In rare cases, high doses of steroids taken for a prolonged time may cause a rare muscular condition called rhabdomyolysis. In rare cases, it may lead to even muscle necrosis. Thus overdosing of steroids is not a good idea.

Though steroids do not cause fatal complications in the short run, some sportsmen may become too aggressive with higher doses of steroids and thus may get involved in violence. Further, psychological changes due to steroids abuse make some individuals mentally weaker, and they start taking other street drugs like cocaine, amphetamines, and so on. Most of the deaths registered due to steroids have been in cases when other drugs like cocaine or amphetamines were taken in combination. Mixing steroids with other drugs may cause brain swelling, coma, stroke, heart attack, and much more.

Should one seek treatment for steroid abuse?

Yes, if a person is continually exceeding the recommended doses and regime, and is finding it difficult to resist, and has started to develop some kind of symptoms. Though the psychological addiction to steroids is rare, experience shows that some athletes find it difficult to control the doses and may continue to use steroids in high doses for years together.

It is essential to understand that steroids can be beneficial if used according to the recommendation. But their continuous use in high doses is bad for both the physical and mental health.