Who abuses anabolic steroids?
Steroid abuse is higher among males than females but is growing most rapidly among young women. As estimated 2.7 percent of 8th and 10th graders and 2.9 percent of 12th graders have taken anabolic steroids at least once in their lives, according to the 1999 Monitoring the Future study, a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) funded survey of drug abuse among teenagers. These figures represent increases since 1991 of approximately 50 percent among 8th and 10th graders and 38 percent among 12th graders. Why do people abuse anabolic steroids? Abuse of anabolic steroids is motivated in most cases by a desire to build muscles, reduce body fat and improve sports performance. Abuse is estimated to be very high among competitive bodybuilders and may also be widespread among other athletes. Some men who abuse steroids perceive their own bodies to be small and weak, even if they are large and muscular. Some women who abuse these drugs think they look obese or flabby, even though they are actua
