Dexamethasone, a common steroid, was tested on rats to see its effects when injected into their bellies. The rats were split into three groups: one got water, one got a low dose of dexamethasone, and one got a higher dose. After a month, the rats given dexamethasone had lower red blood cells, hemoglobin, and good cholesterol, but higher white blood cells, bad cholesterol, and liver enzymes. The more dexamethasone they got, the bigger the changes.