Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Side Effects
Tumors of the liver, liver cancer, or peliosis hepatis, a form of liver disease, have occurred during long-term, high-dose therapy with anabolic steroids. Although these effects are rare, they can be very serious and may cause death. Discuss these possible effects with your doctor.
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
For both females and malesLess common- Yellow eyes or skin
- Black, tarry, or light-colored stools
- Dark-colored urine
- Purple- or red-colored spots on body or inside the mouth or nose
- Sore throat and/or fever
- Vomiting of blood
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:
For both females and malesLess common- Bone pain
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sore tongue
- Swelling of feet or lower legs
- Unusual bleeding
- Unusual weight gain
- Abdominal or stomach pain
- Feeling of discomfort (continuing
- Headache (continuing)
- Hives
- Loss of appetite (continuing)
- Unexplained weight loss
- Unpleasant breath odor (continuing)
- Lack or slowing of normal bone growth
- Acne or oily skin
- Enlarging clitoris
- Hoarseness or deepening of voice
- Irregular menstrual periods
- Unnatural hair growth
- Unusual hair loss
- Mental depression
- Unusual tiredness
- Acne
- Enlarging penis
- Increased frequency of erections
- Unnatural hair growth
- Unexplained darkening of skin
- Enlargement of breasts or breast soreness
- Frequent or continuing erections
- Frequent urge to urinate
- >Difficult or frequent urination
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
For both females and malesLess common- Chills
- Diarrhea
- Feeling of abdominal or stomach fullness
- Muscle cramps
- Trouble in sleeping
- Unusual decrease or increase in sexual desire
- Acne
- Decreased sexual ability
Find Mayo Clinic on