Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
Anabolic steroids, bodybuilding supplements and the liver | CION Cancer Clinics
Long-term anabolic steroid use, especially tablets, can cause liver tumours. Most are benign adenomas, and liver cancer is rare, but both need checking. This page explains what steroids and some bodybuilding supplements do to the liver, which tests make sense if you have used them, and the warning signs that mean going to hospital the same day. At CION Cancer Clinics, our specialists help you understand your own risk and plan regular liver checks that fit it.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed October 2026, next review due October 2027
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On this page
- Can anabolic steroids cause a liver tumour?
- What can anabolic steroids do to the liver?
- I have used steroids. What should I actually do?
- What do the words on my scan or blood report mean?
- What do people in gyms believe, and what is actually true?
- What can this page not tell you?
- Common questions about steroids and the liver
The short answer
Can anabolic steroids cause a liver tumour?
Yes, they can, though it is uncommon. Long-term use of anabolic steroids, especially the kind taken as tablets, is a recognised risk factor for liver tumours: mostly benign lumps called adenomas and, more rarely, liver cancer. Most people who used them for a short spell never develop a tumour, and many liver changes settle once the drug is stopped.
Why tablets matter more than you might think
Steroids swallowed as tablets pass straight through the liver before they reach the muscles. Many tablet forms are chemically altered so the liver cannot break them down quickly, which is exactly what makes them hard on liver cells. Injected forms are not harmless, but the liver problems on this page are linked most strongly with the oral kind.
Who this page is for
It is for gym users, bodybuilders, athletes and their families, and for anyone told a scan shows a spot on the liver after steroid use. It is about tumours that start in the liver itself. If you have been told cancer has spread to the liver from somewhere else, read what secondary liver cancer means instead.
Using steroids is not a moral failing. It is a risk factor, and the useful thing is to tell your doctor honestly.What steroids can do
What can anabolic steroids do to the liver?
There are several different problems, and most of them are not cancer. Your doctor will want to know which one, if any, is present.
Raised liver enzymes
The commonest finding. SGPT and SGOT on a blood test go up. Heavy weight training can raise some of these numbers by itself, so a doctor reads them alongside your history.
Bile backing up
Some steroids slow the flow of bile out of the liver. The skin and eyes turn yellow and the skin itches badly. This usually improves after stopping, but it needs a doctor, not waiting.
Hepatic adenoma
A benign lump made of liver cells, and the tumour most strongly linked with steroids. It is not cancer, but a large one can bleed, and rarely an adenoma can change into cancer over time.
Usually found by
- An ultrasound done for another reason
- Sudden pain under the right ribs
Blood-filled spaces and liver cancer
A rare condition called peliosis leaves small blood-filled pools in the liver that can bleed. Liver cancer, called hepatocellular carcinoma or HCC, has been reported after long-term use, but it is rare.
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Go to hospital today
Sudden, severe pain under the right ribs, especially with dizziness, fainting, a racing heartbeat or cold sweaty skin, can mean a liver lump is bleeding. Go to the nearest emergency department today and say you have used steroids. Yellow eyes with fever, or new confusion, also need same-day care. Do not wait for the pain to settle by itself.
If you have used them
I have used steroids. What should I actually do?
Tell a doctor everything
Name each product, tablet or injection, roughly how long you took it, and anything bought online or from a gym contact. Doctors are not there to judge you, and the details change which tests make sense.
Get a blood test and an ultrasound
A liver function test and a simple ultrasound are the usual first step. CION arranges scans through its diagnostic partners if your own doctor has not already done them.
Stop under supervision
Stopping is the most useful thing you can do for the liver. Some people feel low or tired afterwards, because the body's own hormone production takes time to recover. A doctor can help you through that safely.
Have a lump followed properly
If a lump is found, the scan is usually repeated or a contrast MRI is arranged to see what it is. Do not skip the follow-up scan you are told to have, even if you feel completely well.
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On your report
What do the words on my scan or blood report mean?
- Anabolic-androgenic steroids
- Man-made versions of testosterone, taken to build muscle. Often called "juice" or "roids" in gyms, or known by a product name.
- SGPT (ALT) and SGOT (AST)
- Enzymes that leak from liver cells, and from muscle, into the blood. Raised levels show stress but do not say why.
- Bilirubin
- The yellow pigment that builds up when bile does not drain. A raised bilirubin is what turns the eyes yellow.
- Hepatic adenoma
- A benign lump of liver cells. It is watched because it can bleed and, rarely, change into cancer.
- Lesion or SOL
- SOL means space-occupying lesion: a general word for any spot that looks different on a scan. It is a description, not a diagnosis.
- Peliosis hepatis
- Small blood-filled spaces scattered through the liver, linked with steroid use. Rare, but able to bleed.
Gym talk
What do people in gyms believe, and what is actually true?
"Liver support tablets cancel out the damage."
There is no evidence that a tonic or liver support product makes steroid use safe for the liver. Some unlabelled products add liver injury of their own. The only reliable protection is stopping.
"Cycling on and off keeps the liver safe."
Breaks may let liver enzymes recover, but adenomas have been found in people who cycled. The total length of use matters, not only the pattern.
"Protein powder is the same as steroids."
Plain protein powder is food and is not a liver tumour risk for a healthy person. The concern is products that hide steroids or steroid-like chemicals behind a supplement label.
"My liver test is normal, so my liver is fine."
An adenoma can sit in a liver with completely normal blood tests. That is why a doctor may suggest an ultrasound after long-term use, even when the blood report looks clean.
Being straight with you
What can this page not tell you?
It cannot tell you whether a spot on your scan is an adenoma, a harmless haemangioma or something else. That needs a radiologist reading the right kind of scan, sometimes a contrast MRI, and occasionally a biopsy. Only the doctor who has seen your images can say what it is and how often it needs checking. Read more on why a hepatic adenoma is watched.
It cannot measure your own risk
The evidence on steroids and liver cancer comes mostly from case reports and small studies. Nobody can give a reliable figure for one person. What is clear is that risk rises with longer use and with tablet forms, and that most changes improve after stopping.
Who this does not apply to
This page is not about steroids prescribed by a doctor, such as prednisolone for asthma or arthritis. Those are a different family of drugs and do not carry this tumour risk. Never stop a prescribed steroid suddenly on your own. It is also not about testosterone given under medical supervision for a diagnosed hormone deficiency, which your own doctor will monitor.
If a gym product has left you unsure, call the helpline and describe what you took. Someone will tell you which test to start with.Questions we are asked
Common questions about steroids and the liver
Does a short course of steroids give you liver cancer?
It is very unlikely. Liver cancer linked with steroids has mostly been reported after long-term use, often of tablet forms. A short course can still raise liver enzymes or slow bile flow, so tell your doctor and have a blood test, but there is no reason to assume the worst.
Will a steroid-related adenoma go away if I stop?
Many adenomas shrink or stay the same once the steroid is stopped, and some disappear. Not all of them do. That is why your doctor will repeat the scan rather than simply discharging you. Larger adenomas, or ones that keep growing, may be discussed with a surgeon.
Are injectable steroids safer for the liver than tablets?
The liver tumours and bile problems are linked most strongly with tablet forms. Injected steroids still affect the heart, hormones, fertility and mood, and shared needles can pass on hepatitis B and C, which are major causes of liver cancer. Safer is not the same as safe.
Can bodybuilding supplements contain hidden steroids?
Yes. Products sold as natural boosters or prohormones have been found to contain steroids or similar chemicals that are not on the label. If you are unsure, bring the actual tub or packet to your doctor so they can see exactly what you have been taking.
Which test should I ask for after long-term use?
Usually a liver function test and an abdominal ultrasound to start. If the ultrasound shows a lump, a contrast MRI or triple-phase CT helps tell an adenoma from other lumps. Your doctor may add AFP, a blood marker sometimes raised in liver cancer, depending on what the scan shows.
Is it safe to keep training with an adenoma?
Ask your doctor before going back to heavy lifting or contact sports, because a blow or strain can make a large adenoma bleed. Gentle exercise is generally fine. The answer depends on the size and position of the lump, which only your scan can show.
Do steroids add to the risk with fatty liver or hepatitis?
A liver already under strain from hepatitis B, hepatitis C, alcohol or fatty liver has less room to cope with another injury. If you have any of these, it matters even more to tell your doctor about steroid use. They may want closer checks, including regular surveillance scans.
Where can I get my liver checked in Hyderabad?
Start with your family doctor or a physician, or call the CION helpline. A CION oncologist can review an existing report, and CION arranges liver blood tests, ultrasound and MRI through its diagnostic partners. If a lump needs a specialist opinion, the tumour board can review the scan.
Your Specialists
Meet CION's liver cancer specialists. Bring your scan reports and liver blood tests.
Our medical and surgical oncologists plan liver cancer care together, weighing the tumour and how well your liver works before choosing surgery, a liver-directed procedure or medicines.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
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Sources
- American Cancer Society — Liver Cancer Risk Factors
- Liver UK (formerly British Liver Trust) — Benign liver tumours
- Cancer Research UK — Risks and causes of liver cancer
- National Cancer Institute — Liver Cancer Causes, Risk Factors, and Prevention
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
Hepatic adenoma and why it is watchedThe benign lump steroids most often causeOral contraceptives and liver tumoursThe other hormone-linked liver tumour riskCan a benign liver lesion turn into cancer?What the follow-up scans are looking forReading a liver function test reportMaking sense of SGPT, SGOT and bilirubin
Talk to us
Used steroids and worried about your liver?
Tell us what you took and for how long, without fear of judgement. We will suggest the right first test and arrange a specialist review if a scan shows a lump. One helpline serves every CION centre.