Steroids cause osteoporosis and double the risk of bone fractures. They increase heart failure, diabetes, psychiatric issues, glaucoma, and serious infections.
Steroid users report rapid weight gain, intense hunger, irritability, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, acne, stomach pain, nausea, joint pain, and withdrawal reactions, among other adverse events.
Osteoporosis is a well-established side effect of chronic [steroid] use.
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 2005
Steroids were associated with complications including avascular necrosis [bone death], gastrointestinal bleeding, heart attack, heart failure, cerebrovascular events, diabetes, psychiatric syndromes, ophthalmic [eye] complications, tuberculosis reactivation, and bacterial sepsis. Increased daily and cumulative doses were associated with increased excess risk of complications.
Contents
Context: Pharmaceutical Drug Harms
Steroids
Evidence of Harm
Vitamin D, Inflammation, and Immunity
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See Also
Context: Pharmaceutical Drug Harms
Pharmaceuticals generally + overprescription — In a controlled trial with disabled elderly adults, doing nothing except terminating some of their prescriptions dropped the death rate by 53% compared to the control. “More than half of the patients were candidates for deprescribing. The most common criterion was inappropriately long use, followed by safety concerns, and lack of indication.”
Acid blockers, PPIs, drugs for acid reflux, heartburn, GERD, gastric ulcer — PPIs increased cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis and bone fractures, chronic kidney disease, neurodegeneration including Alzheimer’s and dementia, all-cause mortality (death), B-12 deficiency, pneumonia, and infections. PPIs altered children’s gut microbiome, the foundation of immunity and health, and increased infections in children. Stomach acid is crucial for health.
ADHD drugs, stimulants —Caused “long-lasting changes” in brain function “similar to those that occur with cocaine.” “There is no such thing as a Ritalin deficiency.” Harms from ADHD drugs are many, and effects from higher doses are severe. Get verifiable research and alternatives for resolving the underlying issues.
Alzheimer’s, dementia, and Parkinson’s drugs — Alzheimer’s & dementia drugs are less effective than B vitamins. And they cause fluid build-up & bleeding in the brain and increased death. Parkinson’s drugs deplete nutrients needed for brain health. Parkinson’s symptoms can be reversed. Successful therapies promote brain autophagy, “the removal of old and damaged brain cells and the creation of new and healthy brain cells.”
Antibiotics — “Like TNT for the body’s microbiome” and linked with kidney stones, infertility, miscarriage, birth defects. Since 70 to 80% of the immune system is in the gut, damage to gut health is damage to immune health. Review curated research + alternatives and considerations.
Asthma, allergy & hay fever drugs, antihistamines — Antihistamines cause heart problems, cognitive impairment, seizures in kids. Asthma “med” caused depression, anxiety, aggression, suicides. “Common medications like diphenhydramine [called benadryl, other brand names] cross the blood-brain barrier, disrupting normal brain activity and lowering seizure thresholds in vulnerable children.”
Blood pressure drugs — Allergies, Diabetes, Weight Gain, Sexual Dysfunction, Depression, Acute Kidney Injury, Lung Cancer, Abnormal Heart Rate, and More. Blood pressure-lowering drugs have not been shown to be effective; do not address the root cause(s) of hypertension; have been contaminated with cancer-causing agents; and cause harm (“side effects”).
Chemotherapy, other cancer drugs, radiation — “Chemotherapy makes cancer worse.” “Chemotherapy doubled the number of cancer cells in the bloodstream and lungs.” “Omitting radiation from treatment did not have an effect on survival rates.” “Radiation therapy increases the risk of solid tumors.” Chemotherapy drugs harm the healthcare professionals who administer them.
Diabetes drugs, metformin — Caused death, low blood pressure, slowed heart rate, reduced blood flow to brain & organs. 90% + of diabetes is reversible with diet but professionals push drugs that harm. Professionals avoid telling the simple truth about the effectiveness of low carb diets and push profitable drugs that cause harm. In 2023, the FDA approved more drugs to treat diabetes in children.
Osteoporosis drugs, bisphosphonates — Caused “substantially reduced bone strength” and caused more microcracks in bone than the controls. Osteoporosis drugs caused blood calcium levels to drop, digestion problems, internal bleeding, irregular heartbeat, bone fractures, and bone death.
Over the counter drugs (OTCs) — Tylenol: ADHD, autism, ulcers, GI issues, kidney disease, heart failure. Laxative given to children: rage, tics, insomnia, seizures. Ibuprofen: DNA damage, hypertension. Sunscreens? Nightmare. Prescription drugs cause great harm, but so do over-the-counter meds and personal care products. Get an organized curation of research and reports.
Pain relievers, NSAIDs, opioids — Even at “safe doses,” opioids cause confusion, dependence, depression, increased pain sensitivity, diminished energy, and low sex drive. Consistent use of NSAIDs caused heart attacks. Doctors are not trained in pain management or addiction, but they prescribe dangerous, highly addictive drugs. Get an organized curation of research and reports, plus alternatives and considerations.
Psychiatric drugs: antidepressants, SSRIs, anti-anxiety, benzos, other psychotropics — Anti-depressants cause suicidal thinking, violence, and homicide. Anti-anxiety drugs cause insomnia and anxiety. Anti-psychotic drugs cause agitation, psychosis and violence. This organized curation of research and reports makes it clear that the evidence of harm from psychotropic drugs is overwhelming. We also provide alternatives and considerations.
Scans, radiology, & ultrasounds (e.g. mammograms, CT scans, X-rays) — Medical scans (CT scans, mammograms, etc) use ionizing radiation which damages DNA and causes cancer. Research and resource curation, including research showing that 1) mammograms do not reduce risk of death, and 2) a higher incidence of breast cancer was caused from mammography radiation.
Seizure drugs, anticonvulsants, anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) — Devastating effects, negatively impacting virtually every system of the body, including damage to blood vessels and reduction in all three types of blood cells. Seizure drugs caused liver failure and death in young people and in healthy adults. A long list of non-harming alternatives listed below, with links to research on their effectiveness.
Sleeping pills, sedatives — Sleeping pills make you unconscious, not asleep. They impair the sleep cycle. They increase dementia, falls, and death. And they’re highly addictive. Sleeping pills deprive people of true sleep and they impede essential brain functions (which are causes of dementia, Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases)
Statins — Statin drugs damage health at foundational levels — mitochondria, muscles and nerves — which can lead to more than 300 health problems. Research curation on statin harms, plus research showing that 1) lowering cholesterol does not improve heart health, and 2) statins do not lower all-cause death rates.
Steroids (you’re here) — Cause osteoporosis and double the risk of bone fractures. They increase heart failure, diabetes, psychiatric issues, glaucoma, and serious infections. Steroid users report rapid weight gain, intense hunger, irritability, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, acne, stomach pain, nausea, joint pain, and withdrawal reactions, among other adverse events.
Vaccines — Reports by vaccine type.
Weight loss drugs — Ozempic & Similar Weight Loss Drugs Cause Kidney Failure, Pancreatitis, Thyroid Cancer, Gallbladder Issues, Depression, Severe Stomach Problems, Bone & Muscle Loss, Blindness, and Death. “Ozempic, similar weight loss drugs linked to 162 deaths in U.S.” Get an organized curation of research and reports, with quick links to verify sources.
Steroids
Corticosteroid drugs, also simply called steroids, are designed to mimic adrenal hormones. These are different from anabolic steroids which are related to sex hormones and muscle building. [source]
Steroid drugs (corticosteroids) include Agamree, Alclometasone, Alkindi Sprinkle, Asmanex, Beclomethasone, Betamethasone, Budesonide, Celestone Soluspan, Clobetasol, Cortef, Cortenema, Cortifoam, Cortone, Decadron, Deflazacort, Depo-Medrol, Dermotic, Desoximetasone, Dexamethasone, Diprolene, Emflaza, Flonase, Florinef, Fludrocortisone, Flunisolide, Fluticasone, Glucocorticoids, Hemady, HiDex, Hydrocortisone, Kenalog, Lotemax, Medrol, Methylprednisolone, Millipred, Mineralocorticoids, Mometasone, Nasarel, Orapred, PediaPred, Prednisolone, Prednisone, Pulmicort, Qvar Redihaler, Rayos, Solu-Cortef, Solu-Medrol, TaperDex, Temovate, Topicort, Triamcinolone, Vamorolone, and ZoDex. [source and source]
Steroids are prescribed to reduce inflammation and suppress the immune system in such cases as allergies and allergic reactions, lupus, asthma, COPD, eczema and other skin conditions, pneumonia, eye disorders, blood disorders, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and other autoimmune diseases, and cystic fibrosis. [source]
Weight gain was the most common self-reported adverse event.
Evidence of Harm
“Osteoporosis is a well established side effect of chronic [steroid] use” — Patients taking 7.5 mg of prednisolone per day experienced “an average loss of 9.5% from [the spine] over 20 weeks.”
Steroids double the risk of bone fractures. “The risk of vertebral fractures is even higher.” — “[Steroids] increase the risk of fracture and bone loss… Bone loss and increased rate of fractures occur early after the initiation of corticosteroid therapy, and are then related to dosage and treatment duration… The increased risk of fractures is observed even at low doses of prednisone, that is, 2.5–5 mg per day.” At typical doses, steroids cause a 5-15% loss of bone each year, and in long-term users, 37% experience vertebral fractures. See also: Use of Oral Corticosteroids and Risk of Fractures; “The study comprised 244,235 oral corticosteroid users and 244,235 controls… A dose dependence of fracture risk was observed… Fracture risks declined… rapidly after cessation of [steroids].” See also: Population-based assessment of adverse events associated with long-term glucocorticoid use
Adverse events are common among steroid users — “The prevalence of eight commonly attributed self-reported [steroid]-associated adverse events was significantly associated with cumulative and average [steroid] dose in a dose-dependent fashion… Of the 6,517 eligible glucocorticoid users identified, 2,446 (38%) returned the mailed survey… More than 90% reported at least one adverse event associated with [steroid] use; 55% reported that at least one adverse event was very bothersome.”
Steroids increase bone death, internal bleeding, heart failure, diabetes, psychiatric issues, glaucoma, infections and sepsis — “Corticosteroids were associated with complications including avascular necrosis [bone death], gastrointestinal bleeding, heart attack, heart failure, cerebrovascular events, diabetes, psychiatric syndromes, ophthalmic [eye] complications, tuberculosis reactivation, and bacterial sepsis. Increased daily and cumulative doses were associated with increased excess risk of complications.”
