Increasingly, other segments of the population also have been taking these synthetic substances. The Monitoring the Future study, an annual survey of drug abuse among middle and high school students across the country, showed a significant increase from 1998 to 1999 in anabolic steroid abuse among middle schoolers.
Studies show that, over time, anabolic steroids can indeed take a heavy toll on a person's health.
Abuse of oral or injectable anabolic steroids is associated with increased risk for heart attacks and strokes, and the abuse of most oral anabolic steroids is associated with increased risk for severe liver problems, including hepatic cancer. Anabolic steroid abuse can also cause undesirable body changes. Men may develop enlarged breasts and women's bodies may become masculinized. Both sexes can develop acne and hair loss. This Community Drug Alert Bulletin summarizes some of the latest scientific information on anabolic steroids.