If recent reports are to be believed, steroid abuse is on the increase again. A few years ago, anabolic steroids fell into disfavour as their side effects became apparent and “roid-heads” went on to became objects of ridicule.

However, the new generation looking for quick success is being seduced by the false promise of a shortcut to a perfect body.

From Theherald.com.au:

In their own time these youngsters will discover the truth – that a steroid-inflated body is about as convincing and impressive as a fake tan and that the personal cost of abuse can be horrendous.

Even if the purity of black market steroids could be guaranteed (it can’t), abusers run the risk of detrimental impacts on their personalities and behaviour. “Roid rage” is just the tip of an iceberg of psychological symptoms that produce the opposite of the self-esteem and self-assurance that many abusers are seeking.

The physical symptoms are potentially dreadful too. Bodies out of proportion, unwelcome “man boobs”, shrunken genitals and acne explosions are just the beginning. Internal damage is prevalent and can be irreversible.

To the extent that steroid abuse reflects anxiety among young men about their body image, it represents a growing problem that demands serious attention. Like eating disorders in both young men and women, the problem is a symptom of an increasingly prevalent mental health issue.

Hospital admissions and many social studies indicate that growing numbers of young people are so anxious and depressed about their apparent failure to conform to the socially approved body image that they will endanger their physical health in an attempt to attain their perceived “ideal”.

Poor diet, coupled with widespread obesity and publicity campaigns designed to combat obesity are believed to have stimulated growth and success of anabolic steroids in the recent times.

Tags: anabolic steroids, black market steroids, steroid, steroid abuse

Posted in buy steroids, Steroid Cycles, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids

New Jersey lawmakers are evaluating measures that could crack down on steroid use by police and firefighters, some of whom abuse steroids in efforts to keep physically fit.

Assemblyman John McKeon, the Deputy Speaker who introduced the bills, said, “This is focused on uniformed public employees, but this is really a nationwide problem.”

From News.yahoo.com:

“A lot of these anti-aging clinics and charlatans are selling these products, and we need to examine the long-term health problems.”

The National Conference on State Legislatures said it did not know of any similar legislation in other states and New Jersey’s measures could be the first in the nation. Most steroid laws regulate high school athletes, it said.

Law enforcement steroid use is a problem around the country and, given that steroid use can cause aggression, can invite problems for police, said Larry Gaines, chairman of the Department of Criminal Justice at California State University in San Bernadino, California.

“Aggression is not very common but nonetheless it’s a possible problem,” Gaines said. “If it does occur, you could see lawsuits against police departments regarding citizens injured from steroid rage.”

Competitiveness is a major reason why police and firefighters might use steroids, he said.

“A number of departments focus very highly on physical fitness and ability,” Gaines said.

“Secondly, a lot of these officers see substantial dangers on the job so they feel they should be in some kind of top level of physical fitness.”

The New Jersey Firefighter Mutual Benevolent Association welcomes any initiative to crack down on steroid abuse, said president Bill Lavin.

Tags: abuse steroids, steroid abuse, steroid laws, steroid use, steroids

Posted in buy steroids, Steroid Cycles, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids

Lawmakers from New Jersey are seeking to beef up efforts in a sincere attempt to prevent steroid abuse and about to introduce what may be the first law in the United States that will require police and firefighters to be examined by a doctor before they can be prescribed anabolic steroids or human growth hormone.

Assemblyman John McKeon, who authored the bill, said, state taxpayers have been “wrongly paying for millions of dollars in insurance costs for prescriptions that were, in many cases, issued illegally.”

From Fairwarning.org:

Another potentially precedent-setting measure, also introduced by McKeon Monday, urges the state attorney general’s office to implement random steroid drug testing for law enforcement and firefighters. Under existing policies, law enforcement agencies may request testing for steroids and designer drugs, but they rarely do.

A series by The Star-Ledger newspaper of Newark, N.J., recently revealed widespread steroid abuse in police and fire departments. In one case, at least 248 officers and firefighters reportedly obtained prescriptions for steroids from a single Jersey City doctor.

A particular concern is that steroid-using police officers will be overly aggressive, perhaps fueled by “’roid rage.” Larry Gaines, chairman of the Department of Criminal Justice at California State University, San Bernardino, told Reuters he didn’t think that sort of aggression is a common problem. But, he added, “If it does occur, you could see lawsuits against police departments regarding citizens injured from steroid rage.”

The State Legislature is also evaluating a bill that will establish measures to deter steroid use and performance enhancing supplements among middle school and high school students.

Tags: anabolic steroids, designer drugs, human growth hormone, performance enhancing supplements, steroid abuse, steroid drug testing, steroid use

Posted in buy steroids, Steroid Cycles, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids, Steroids in Sports

An explosion of anabolic steroid use among teen boys has opened up a new market for worried parents desiring to find out whether their children are using the drugs.

A home-based steroid diagnostic test costing $200 is about to be launched in Australia amid claims that as many as one in 20 high school students in Queensland have used steroids to keep up the idea of looking buffed.

From Couriermail.com.au:

“Steroid abuse was once only linked to top professional athletes but the high school demographic is an exploding area of concern,” said Rob Durney of Camtek Surveillance in Australia, distributors of the $200 one-off urine test.

Jason Woodforth, Queensland president of the International Natural Bodybuilders Association, believes that as many as one in 20 high school students have dabbled in anabolic steroids in their quest for “overnight muscles”.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.

End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.

“Teenage boys have become more focused on body image and we have had a record number of under-19 competitors in the 2010 Queensland titles,” he said.

“Boys want to look good. But our competitors do it the clean way.

“We have regular steroid tests and our guys are clean.

“You can tell that they are because they are healthy-looking, fit young men.

The steroid detector has been developed by the same US-based company that launched the popular HairConfirm that launches a probe into cocaine, marijuana, and other drugs.

Tags: Anabolic steroid use, anabolic steroids, Bodybuilders Association, steroid abuse, steroid diagnostic test, steroid tests, steroids

Posted in buy steroids, Steroid Cycles, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids, Steroids in Sports

A major survey conducted in secondary schools has found 2.4 per cent of 12 to 17 year olds reported using the muscle enhancing injections. After the survey results were disclosed, Australian schools have been told to broaden their drug education programs.

This was a much higher usage rate than that seen across the population, according to Dr Matthew Dunn, a researcher at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC).

From NZherald.co.nz:

“It’s low when we compare it to groups such as body builders and weightlifters,” Dr Dunn told AAP.

“… but the general population prevalence of steroid use is 0.1 per cent, so it’s quite a lot higher than that.”

Dr Dunn analysed data collected as part of a broader survey on substance abuse, which took in about 22,000 students from 376 secondary schools across the country.

Teens who admitted to past steroid use were also more likely to report experimenting with other illicit substances, such as cannabis.

They tended to report lower scholastic performance, were usually male and not always involved in sporting activities.

Dr Dunn said their reported steroid use was also irregular – often “one or two times in the last year” – meaning it would not have had the intended effect.

Dr Dunn said school sport and athletics programs should also highlight the risks involved in steroid abuse.

Tags: body builders, muscle enhancing injections, steroid abuse, steroid use, substance abuse

Posted in buy steroids, Steroid Cycles, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids, Steroids in Olympics, Steroids in Sports

Terry Newton, the former Great Britain hooker, had traces of anabolic steroids, cocaine, and amphetamines in his system when he killed himself in September.

The former hooker became the first professional sportsman to test positive for human growth hormone in February and was serving a two-year suspension when he took his life at the age of 31.

From Guardian.co.uk:

“We have a picture where steroid abuse may well have led on to behavioural changes. We can say that is virtually certain. Subsequently they have rendered Mr Newton, on the balance of probabilities, unable to form an appropriate judgment as to the nature and quality of his actions.”

Newton’s wife Stacey attended the hearing at Bolton coroner’s court with other close family members. She was too upset to give evidence. Newton was discovered by police in the loft of his home in Orrell, Wigan, on 26 September, after Stacey had told a friend she was concerned for his safety. He had left notes around the house expressing a desire to end his life.

Toxicology reports showed he had taken the steroid nandrolone within the week of his death and traces of cocaine and amphetamine were in his urine, along with alcohol and anti-depressants. Human growth hormone cannot be tested for in post-mortem samples. None of the banned drugs were a direct factor in the cause of death but all could have lowered a person’s mood, the inquest was told.

It is believed by some experts that death of Newton had delivered a macabre warning to others about the dangers of taking performance enhancing drugs.

Tags: anabolic steroids, human growth hormone, nandrolone, Performance enhancing drugs, steroid, steroid abuse, Terry Newton

Posted in buy steroids, Steroid Cycles, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids, Steroids in Baseball, Steroids in Sports

Tests of body fluids taking during autopsy of Jan Molenaar, the gunman, will soon be revealed to the world.

It is worth noting that Molenaar, a body builder, has been linked to steroid use by reports but the same has been vehemently denied by his brother, Peter.

From NZherald.co.nz:

Anabolic steroids are related to the hormone testosterone. Steroids are used in medicine to stimulate bone growth and appetite, induce male puberty and treat chronic wasting conditions such as cancer and Aids.

They are banned by all major sports bodies because their use is considered cheating due to their potential to artificially boost strength.

Abuse of steroids has been linked to harmful physical side-effects such as raised blood pressure and cholesterol and coronary disease. The few long-term studies of psychiatric effects indicate side-effects including raised aggression and mood swings.

The deaths of Texas college gridiron player Taylor Hooton, who committed suicide, and Canadian wrestler Chris Benoit, who murdered his wife and 7-year-old son in Georgia, USA, before killing himself, have fuelled debate about the propensity of steroids to prompt violent irrational behaviour.

Outbursts of violence and temper have been associated with steroid abuse and are colloquially referred to as “roid rage“.

Tags: abuse of steroids, anabolic steroids, body builder, Chris Benoit, roid rage, steroid abuse, steroid use, steroids, testosterone

Posted in buy steroids, Steroid Cycles, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids

Brain steroids, which are commonly referred as neuro enhancers, are abused by more high school and undergraduate students than ever. Use of these steroids is made for faring better at educational and sport frontiers and has been a cause of concern for parents and researchers.

The main objective of steroid abuse by teens is to stay ahead of the competition by satisfying physical, emotional, financial, and psychological demands of the mind, body, and society.

From SMScollegian.com:

The ethical arguments on both sides for and against have some valid points. Those for their use say it is no different than using a chemical to enhance the mind like using caffeine to stay awake, and they discredit the term “brain-steroids” because they say that implies using artificial means to increase brain-power, instead claiming it just maximizes the potential already present within the mind. Those against it equate it with cheating saying that taking it before a test is like athletes doping before a game.

The most interesting point was those concerned that in the future parents who want their children to have any edge possible might encourage them to take neuro-enhancers, or adults could feel pressured to maximize output at work and earn more money. This may be possible, because looking back at high school, it was hard not to envy the students who partied every weekend, maintained a 4.0 GPA, took AP classes, played a sport and had their choice of Ivy League schools. If the future involves the same pressures we experience today to succeed, feeling the need to take these neuro-enhancers further emphasizes that pressure to work so hard and not sleep enough. Not every student can balance all these factors and still do their best.

Some researchers have expressed fears that there is an urgent need to take an action so that young children do not end up abusing steroids.

Tags: brain steroids, doping, neuro enhancers, steroid abuse, steroids

Posted in buy steroids, Steroid Cycles, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids

According to a drug charity, the pressure to attain the perfect physique is fuelling a worrying increase in abuse of steroids across the North East.

It has been a 60% annual increase in steroid users seeking help, as per the Lifeline Project.

From News.bbc.co.uk:

Spokeswoman Andrea Fox said society’s “quick fix” mentality is to blame.

Ms Fox, from the charity’s Middlesbrough branch, said: “This is a concerning rise – our clients are mostly your average gym goers which shows how mainstream steroids have become.

“We’re seeing a lot of younger men who don’t have a clue what they’re doing.

“They’re injecting in the wrong places and don’t realise the long term health problems they could face.”

Steroid abuse can cause a range of health problems, including kidney and liver damage, as well as increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

In the last one year, 868 users from Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Sunderland contacted the organization compared to 539 in the previous twelve months.

Tags: abuse of steroids, mainstream steroids, steroid, steroid abuse

Posted in buy steroids, Steroid Cycles, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids

The death of Arif Sakhi, who won the “Mr Afghanistan” crown earlier this year has shaken the body building community of Afghanistan. Admirers and experts of bodybuilding are finding it difficult to realize how Sakhi who was preening and posing his well-oiled muscles a few months ago broke down against the strain of steroid abuse.

Sakhi’s death has also suggested to the community that it things are not beyond the reach when it comes to the shady billion-dollar business involving legal and illegal supplements.

From in.reuters.com:

“Unfortunately using illegal supplements has been seen among our young body builders, but we have no resources to stop it,” said Ustaad Bawar Hotak, the head of Afghanistan’s Bodybuilding Federation.

“I always tell any sportsmen to use natural products instead of using dangerous supplements that damage their health.”

Hotak said there was evidence that both professional and amateur body builders in Afghanistan were using imported illegal supplements banned by the national federation.

But Hotak denied “Mr. Afghanistan’s” death was due to using risky supplements, saying Arif Sakhi was poisoned by his rivals — even as fellow body builders said the champion’s liver and kidneys had been devastated by steroids.

“Everyone who prepares themselves for a competition uses steroids and other types of injections for their muscle growth,” said Haroon, working out at the Kabul Gym.

Haroon says that almost every one at Afghanistan gyms, which are packed with costly workout machines and weights, use steroids.

Tags: body building, bodybuilding, illegal supplements, steroid abuse, steroids, supplements

Posted in buy steroids, Steroid Cycles, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids, Steroids in Sports