This article contains how anabolic steriods are used, statistics on anabolic steriods usage by school grade, and the effects of Anabolic Steroids.

Anabolic steroids are available in the form of tablets, liquid, gel, cream, and injectables. They are taken orally, injected, or rubbed on. Abusers of these medications may: 

• increase the medical dosage by from 10 to 100 times prescribed amounts 
• use stacking, an approach in which abusers combine the use of two different steroids, sometimes along with other drugs like stimulants and painkillers. The hope is that multiple forms or types will provide a greater effect. This has not been substantiated. 
• use pyramiding or cycling, in which stacked doses are gradually increased and then decreased, with the idea that the body is given time to adjust. This has not been substantiated either.

Statistics about Anabolic Steroids

Since many instruments that are used to collect information on drug use do not ask questions about anabolic steroid abuse, the information is uncertain. This may be why in the Anabolic Steroids Act of 2004, Congress mandated that the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) include this data.

Combining information from the “Monitoring the Future” study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA -1st chart) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2nd chart), the following information on teen use of anabolic steroids is obtained. Students who had used anabolic steroids for nonprescribed purposes at least once in their lifetime:

Notice that, although the figures in the second chart are uniformly higher, both charts show a peak in use and decline for every grade. For comparison, in 2004, 1.9% of young adults age 19-28 reported illegal use of steroids at least once in their lifetimes

Long and Short term effects of Anabolic Steroids The effects of anabolic steroids are partly dependent on gender, age, extent of use, and method of administration.

Females - who may be given anabolic treatments legitimately for certain forms of breast cancer, for example • may experience: 

• growth of facial hair 
• male pattern baldness 
• changes in or cessation of menstruation 
• deepening of the voice 
• decreased body fat

Males, on the other hand, may experience: 

• shrinkage of their testicles 
• reduced sperm count 
• infertility 
• breast development 
• increased risk of prostate cancer 
• painful urination

Adolescents may experience a premature end to their growth.

Anyone may, in time, experience: 

• potentially fatal liver disease 
• changes that can promote a heart attack or stroke 
• acne 
• mood alterations (including manic symptoms known as roid rage), both when using steroids and upon ceasing to use them 
• insomnia and irritability (this leads some users to use opioids to counteract these symptoms)

Injectors may experience any of the dangers associated with needle-borne diseases, including: 

• HIV 
• hepatitis B 
• hepatitis C
• infective endocarditis 
• bacterial infections

Usage, Statistics and Effects of Anabolic Steroids Sources:

• pdf Steroid Abuse by School Age Children: A Guide for Parents and School Officials: whitehousedrugpolicy.gov
• drugabuse.gov
• pdf National Youth Risk Behavior Survey 1991-2005: cdc.gov
• usdoj.gov
• drugabuse.gov

Related Article: History of Anabolic Steroids >>