Steroid Statistics, Usage, & Public Perception
In This Article
Anabolic steroids are synthetic hormones that imitate testosterone and help improve muscle growth and repair. However, steroids have been a topic of concern in sports and public health for decades.
In this article, we’ll explore the latest statistics and prevalence of steroid use among athletes. We’ll also discuss the long-term health risks associated with steroid use.
Noteworthy Steroid Statistics
- Anecdotal evidence suggests widespread usage of anabolic steroids among athletes (20 to 90%), especially at the professional and elite amateur levels.
- However, scientific studies indicate that usage is rare and no higher than 6%.
- Steroid misuse has been associated with cardiovascular problems, including heart attacks and strokes.
- The American public has mixed feelings about steroid use, with 49% supporting its use for healing injuries more quickly.
- 75% support mandatory testing of high school athletes, and when given a choice, 56% prefer educational programming over 44% prefer mandatory testing.
Prevalence of Steroid Use Among Athletes
The prevalence of steroid use among athletes varies significantly depending on the level of competition, the sport, and the country.
- Among high school students, 3% reported using anabolic steroids, with a higher prevalence among male athletes (10.2% of athletes from 510 survey responses).
- The prevalence of performance-enhancing drug (PED) use among high school athletes in the United States ranged from 2.7% to 4.0%, depending on the sport.
- Nearly 1% of NCAA male athletes self-reported steroid use.
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Steroids and Long-term Health Risks
Steroid use can increase the risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks or strokes. This is partly because steroids increase low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and decrease the function of the heart’s ventricles.
Other long-term health risks from anabolic steroid use include:
- Liver damage
- Tumors
- Kidney failure
- Decreased sperm production
- Shrunken testicles
- Infertility
- Masculinization in women (deepening voice, increased body hair, etc.)
- Changes in menstrual cycles
- Aggressive behavior or “roid rage”
- Mood swings
- Impaired judgment
- Paranoia
- Mania/hypomania
- Major depression
Abusing steroids can also lead to a rare condition called peliosis hepatis. This causes blood-filled cysts in the liver, which can rupture and cause internal bleeding. Peliosis hepatitis is potentially life-threatening.
Additionally, users who inject anabolic steroids run the risk of contracting various infections. This can be caused by non-sterile injection techniques, sharing contaminated needles, and using steroids manufactured in non-sterile environments.
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Types of Steroid
Anabolic steroids are also known for their ability to boost athletic performance, which is why athletes and bodybuilders often misuse them. However, in many countries, it’s illegal to use steroids without a prescription.
There are two main types of steroids:
- Corticosteroids: These are used to treat medical conditions like asthma and lupus.
- Anabolic steroids: A synthetic variation of testosterone used to treat hormonal issues in puberty, muscle loss due to cancer and aids, and certain types of impotence.
People who abuse anabolic steroids might develop an addiction to it. They may also experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop using steroids. Additionally, the lack of long-term research on the effects of anabolic steroids is creating a public health ‘time bomb’ with potential harm to users’ health.
Illicit Steroid Market and Sales
Most illicit steroids are smuggled into countries like the U.S. from abroad or diverted from legitimate sources. These are often bought and sold at gyms and bodybuilding competitions.
It’s also widely bought and sold on the internet. This increases the risk of counterfeit products with added toxic substances.
Legislation and Steroid Use
The impact of legislation on steroid use can be observed through changes in the prevalence and patterns of use over time. The Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990 and the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004 placed anabolic steroids into the Controlled Substances Act.
These legislative changes may have influenced these substances’ usage rates and public perception. However, despite this, the abuse of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AASs) and selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) by non-athlete weightlifters continued to grow.
Additionally, certain groups, such as male college students, showed an increase in steroid use during the period between 1993 and 2001. This suggests that the demand for steroids was met by an underground market.
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Public Perception of Steroids
Statistics reveal a complex and multifaceted public perception of steroids. However, there is a discrepancy between anecdotal evidence and scientific studies regarding the prevalence of anabolic steroid use among athletes.
- While anecdotal evidence suggests widespread use (20 to 90%), scientific studies indicate that usage is rare (no higher than 6%).
- Perception of steroid use as harmful among U.S. 12th-grade students has remained relatively stable over the years, with 50.8% in 2019 and 50.1% in 2018 perceiving steroids as a great risk for harm.
- Research suggests that the public’s opposition to performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) is influenced by perceived violations of fairness, laws, regulations, and health risks. Even if PEDs did not provide a competitive advantage, people would still oppose their use.
- The misuse of steroids is a global concern, with evidence indicating that the majority of illicit PEDs arriving in countries like the UK originate from China, eastern Europe, and parts of Asia.
The statistics show the complex nature of steroid use among athletes. For example, the prevalence of steroid use among athletes may be lower than anecdotal evidence suggests.
Despite legislation, some people still use steroids, which suggests an underground market outside the reach of regulations. This can be concerning because the health risks associated with steroid abuse are well-documented.
Public perception of steroids is multifaceted. There’s a mix of support for steroid use in certain circumstances and opposition based on perceived violations of fairness and health risks.
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- Berning et al. “Anabolic steroid usage in athletics: facts, fiction, and public relations.” J Strength Cond Res, 2004.
- NIDA. “Anabolic Steroids and Other Appearance and Performance Enhancing Drugs (APEDs).” National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2024.
- Siperstein et al. “The American Public’s Perception of Illegal Steroid Use.” Center for Social Development and Education, University of Massachusetts Boston, 2013.
- Poston, L.“Percentage Of Athletes Who Use Performance-Enhancing Drugs.” Invigor Medical, 2022
- McCabe et al. “Trends in non-medical use of anabolic steroids by U.S. college students: results from four national surveys.” Drug Alcohol Depend, 2007.
- Goldman et al. “The Health Threat Posed by the Hidden Epidemic of Anabolic Steroid Use and Body Image Disorders Among Young Men.” The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2019.
- Walton, A. “Why the Public Hates Performance-Enhancing Drugs, and What It Means for Athletes.” Chicago Booth Review, 2017.
- “Percentage of U.S. students in grade 12 that perceived steroids as being a great risk for harm from 1991 to 2022.” Statista, 2023.
- Smith et al. “Performance-Enhancing Drug Use in Recreational Athletes.” Am Fam Physician, 2021.
- “Annual prevalence of use of steroids for grades 8, 10, and 12 combined from 1991 to 2022.” Statista, 2023.
- Alharbi et al. “Knowledge, attitudes and use of anabolic-androgenic steroids among male gym users: A community based survey in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.” Saudi Pharm J, 2019.
- “Drug Fact Sheet: Steroids.” Drug Enforcement Administration, 2020.
