# Man’s secret use of synthetic testosterone for cows nearly destroyed his heart

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/mans-secret-use-of-synthetic-testosterone-for-cows-nearly-destroyed-his-heart/
- Published: 2026-11-12T18:17:19+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-12T18:33:32+00:00
- Original publisher: Ars Technica
- Original article: https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/11/mans-secret-use-of-synthetic-testosterone-for-cows-nearly-destroyed-his-heart/
- Topics: Software

## Key points

- Hidden steroid use was linked to repeated heart failure.
- One drug was approved for beefing up cattle.
- US steroid use is estimated at 2.9 to 4 million people.

## Summary

A Massachusetts man’s concealed use of anabolic steroids, including a synthetic testosterone drug intended for cattle, was linked to years of serious health problems and repeated heart failure. His case highlights the difficulty of diagnosing steroid-related harm when patients do not disclose their use, and doctors warn that such cases are likely to become more common.

His illness began at 39, when tests showed kidney and liver injury and his heart was pumping only 21 per cent of its blood per beat; he needed ECMO life support before his heart recovered. Over the following years he developed further problems, including narrowed kidney arteries and inflammation, while seeing numerous specialists. The doctors’ report says an estimated 2.9 to 4 million people in the US use anabolic steroids, and recovery from long-term effects can be lengthy and varied.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.