Teenage girls are also among the rising population who are into anabolic steroids. Steroid use was only previously associated with those involved in bodybuilding, weightlifting or into competitive athletics. In the study conducted by the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, a survey was conducted by Diane L. Elliot, MD and colleagues on adolescent girls from grades nine to twelve. 5.3% of the total participants reported to have ongoing steroids use. Those adolescents who have reportedly used steroids were also inclined to use cigarettes, marijuana, alcohol and cocaine. They were also more likely to have been pregnant; have engaged in sexual intercourse before 13 years old; drink and drive or have ridden with a drunk driver; carried a weapon; have been in a fight on school property over the past year; have feelings of sadness or hopelessness almost every day for not less than two weeks and have attempted suicide.
Another reason for anabolic use among teenage girls is weight loss. Those who are engaged in steroids use were also more likely to employ extreme weight loss techniques like laxative use or vomiting. Anabolic steroids were known to be an effective fat burner and body shaper because it aids in lean muscle development.
Based on the study, these adolescent girls were considered to be high-risk for anabolic steroids use.
According to The Medical News:
The findings highlight important associations among girls who use steroids, the authors conclude. “Across all grades, these seem to be troubled adolescent girls with co-occurring health-compromising activities in the domains of substance use, sexual behavior, violence and mental health,” they conclude. “High-risk adolescent girls seem to have received less attention than adolescent boys, perhaps reflecting that their actions are less socially, albeit perhaps more personally, destructive. Anabolic steroid use is another marker for high-risk adolescent girls, and further study is needed to develop effective interventions for this population.”
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