Which of the following constitutes the largest group of steroid users on the high school campus?

Br J Sports Med. 1993 Sep; 27(3): 200–201.

Abstract

To determine the rate of current or previous use of anabolic steroids by students at a UK college of technology, a questionnaire survey of 687 day students was conducted. The questionnaire began with a general section for all of the students, which ended with the question 'Have you ever used anabolic steroids?'. A further section specifically for anabolic steroid users examined patterns of use, and how certain circumstances might affect the individual's decision to use anabolic steroids. The response rate to the questionnaire was 92%. The overall rate of current or previous use of anabolic steroids was 2.8% (4.4% in males, 1.0% in females). Of these, 56% had first used anabolic steroids at age 15 or less. Anabolic steroid users were more likely to be male, under 17 years of age, and participating in bodybuilding, weight-lifting or rugby. The results of this survey, if confirmed in other groups of young people, would suggest that use of anabolic steroids may be widespread in the UK.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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Articles from British Journal of Sports Medicine are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

The vast majority of people who misuse steroids are male non-athlete weightlifters in their 20s or 30s.1,22 Contrary to popular belief, only about 22 percent of anabolic steroid users started as teenagers.23 Anabolic steroid use is less common among females, since fewer women desire extreme muscularity and the masculinizing effects of steroids.22

Males who are more likely to use steroids tend to have poor self-esteem, higher rates of depression, more suicide attempts, poor knowledge and attitudes about health, greater participation in sports emphasizing weight and shape, greater parental concern about weight, and higher rates of eating disorders and substance use.24 Steroid misuse is associated with muscle dysmorphia, a behavioral disorder in which men think that they look small and weak, even if they are large and muscular (see “Why are anabolic steroids misused?”).25

Some people who misuse steroids have experienced physical or sexual abuse. In a study of 506 male users and 771 male nonusers of anabolic steroids, users were significantly more likely than nonusers to report being sexually abused in the past.26 Similarly, female weightlifters who had been raped were found to be twice as likely to report use of anabolic steroids or another purported muscle-building drug, compared with those who had not been raped. Moreover, almost all females who had been raped reported that they markedly increased their bodybuilding activities after the attack. They believed that being bigger and stronger would discourage further attacks because men would find them either intimidating or unattractive.27

It is difficult to estimate the true prevalence of steroid misuse in the United States because many surveys that ask about illicit drug use do not include questions about steroids. However, the annual Monitoring the Future study, a NIDA-funded survey of drug use and attitudes in middle and high school students across the United States, shows that past-year use of steroids has generally declined among 8th and 10th graders, after peaking in 2000. Past-year steroid use among 12th graders increased from 2011 to 2015, although use significantly declined from 2015 to 2016. The 2017 rate of use among 12th graders holds relatively steady.

Past Year Anabolic Steroid Use Among Middle and High School Students, 2007-2017