The hormones in steroids cause your body to retain sodium and fluids within a matter of days. That puts extra stress on your blood vessels, which can lead to high blood pressure.
In fact, when researchers measured the BP of regular steroid users, their numbers were, on average, 8 to 10 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) higher compared to guys who didn’t take steroids. That might not seem like much, but over time it can take a toll.
Chronically high blood pressure can cause your heart muscles to stiffen, Dr. Jotwani says, which can lead to heart disease or heart failure. And while the effects can be reversed within a few days of stopping steroids, if your heart muscle has already sustained damage, that could lead to a permanent increase in your diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number), because your heart has to work harder to pump blood through your body.
