How gym-goers are unknowingly pumping themselves full of steroids with a trend for testosterone – and doctors say it could be deadly

Men who use testosterone to supplement the gym are unknowingly at risk of a heart attack, experts warn.

Doctors say the danger comes because men don’t realize that synthetic versions of the male sex hormone are a steroid.

Testosterone levels typically decline with age, with some men in their 40s and 50s receiving supplements called testosterone replacement therapy to improve their mood, energy levels, libido and exercise performance.

But if you take too much, usually via bottles sold online, can pose a host of dangers, including an increased risk of cardiovascular problems and shrinkage of the testicles, which can affect future fertility.

Despite being illegal to sell without a prescription in Britain, bottles of synthetic ‘T’ or ‘test’ are ubiquitous on social media.

MailOnline found doses of testosterone on sale for as little as £30 on multiple websites.

Some present it as a sports performance supplement, while others claim it can help combat depression.

Dr. Jeff Foster, a GP specializing in men’s health at H3 Health, told this website that men who wanted to use testosterone as a shortcut to building muscle were playing ‘Russian roulette’ with their health.

He said many such men misunderstood the seriousness of what they were doing.

“(Testosterone) is a steroid, it’s a steroid hormone,” he said.

‘If you don’t have to take testosterone because you don’t have a medical deficiency, you are just using a recreational drug and that carries major health risks.

“You’ll feel great right now, and you may think you can get away with it, but the problem is you don’t know.

“You may not know the damage it has done to your heart, you may not know the damage it has done to your fertility for years.”

Dr. Foster said part of the confusion stems from the fact that T is a natural hormone crucial to men’s health, giving some men the false impression that the more you take, the better it is for you.

“It’s going to make your muscles bigger, so it looks good, people like that idea,” he said.

‘There is a misconception that if you have more muscle and you are fitter or faster, it must be better for you.

‘But that is of course not the case. As with any medicine, it becomes unhealthy if it is used incorrectly.’

Dr. Foster added that the levels of testosterone taken by muscular men have skyrocketed in recent years.

“The amount of testosterone that many people take recreationally is so much higher than it was 20 to 30 years ago,” he said.

‘People look almost inhuman.

‘If you’re an impressionable younger guy who doesn’t necessarily know the risks, you think ‘well, that’s what I want to look like’ and take this huge dose.’

There are several risks associated with taking too much testosterone.

Dr. Foster said one of the most serious is that because testosterone increases blood production, it increases the risk of dangerous blood clots and other cardiovascular health problems, which in turn increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Another cause is shrinkage of the testicles, because the testicles, which naturally produce testosterone, atrophy as the male body tries to compensate for the artificially high levels of the hormone it is exposed to.

This, explained Dr. Foster can cause men to have fertility problems, sometimes permanently.

“It comes back to bite them years later,” he said.

Dr. Foster said it is crucial to remember that for a specific group, men with abnormally low levels, treatment with testosterone in safe doses is a “life-changing drug” that provides a huge boost to mood and sex life.

“This is only for (patients) who don’t have enough, and a doctor told you that,” he said.

‘Otherwise you’re basically just using drugs.’

Brits are also sold on the benefits of taking T on social media platforms frequented by young men and boys.

British TikTok accounts shamelessly advertise themselves as ‘steroid coaches’ who can connect potential users with testosterone suppliers.

Some reports also make dangerous claims about the benefits of testosterone, touting it as a ‘cure’ for depression and recommending patients ditch NHS-recommended medication for the mental health condition.

One such account is run by Finbar Marshall-Hawkes, which prides itself on having “pharmacy quality resources at cheap prices.”

Mr Marshall-Hawkes, who also runs a Minecraft gaming channel on YouTube, says he used steroids for six years and coached people on how to use them for five years.

In a video to his 40,000 followers earlier this year, Marshall-Hawkes claimed that taking testosterone could cure depression in two to three weeks.

He called the steroid ‘the best antidepressant for men’ and called SSRIs (the drugs that NHS medics routinely prescribe to people with depression) ‘the devil’, claiming they worsen mental health conditions.

“All these guys I helped said that within two weeks of starting the testosterone cycle their depression completely resolved and I was able to taper off the SSRIs they were taking,” he said.

“So if you’re having problems with depression and low testosterone and the doctors won’t help you, give me a message.

“It’s worked every time for the clients I’ve had over the years, so be sure to contact me.”

Although testosterone is known to improve mood, it is not a recognized treatment for depression by the NHS.

SSRIs, whose full name is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are a controversial form of medication, with respected experts warning that they can harm sex lives years after people have stopped taking them.

However, doctors are urging patients taking antidepressants not to stop without first talking to the medical professional responsible for their care. This way they can ensure that patients are adequately supported as they come off the drug.

Doctors can sometimes prescribe an alternate dose, drug, or medication to combat side effects.

Dr. Foster said some of the medical advice about the supposed benefits of testosterone spreading on social media was “concerning.”

“You have someone, who is not trained in real medical knowledge, giving advice that is general to a wide range of people,” he said.

“If you’re really thinking ‘where do I get my medical information?’ then TikTok should be at the bottom of your list.”

He added that while there were certainly cases of men taking antidepressants after testosterone treatment, encouraging depressed patients to change their medication regimen was “crazy” without consulting a doctor.

“You may be making things much worse,” he said.

It comes as legitimate interest in testosterone treatments is at an all-time high, according to NHS-backed prescription data for England.

According to the latest available data, a total of 38,614 testosterone prescriptions were distributed by national general practitioners at the beginning of 2024.

This is almost double the number of prescriptions registered five years earlier.

Such prescriptions include not only male patients being treated for low testosterone levels, but also women receiving the hormone for menopause-induced libido problems or trans men seeking to change gender.