Study Shows Typical Steroid User is “Average Joe” at He's Fit

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Study Shows Typical Steroid User is “Average Joe”

Posted October 17, 2007 at 10:20 AM by Lisa Cieplechowicz

Section: In The News, His Health, Physical Health, Lifestyle Health

guy with muscles Though the mainstream media and recent current events would have us believe that steroid use is largely connected to athletes trying to up their game or risk-seeking adolescents wanting to fit in, a new study confirms that such conclusions are actually inaccurate. As CBS News reports, the reality is that steroid users often blend in with the “Average Joe.”

The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition recently published a study of approximately 2,000 men that indicates that the average anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) user is a white-collar, well-educated, 30 year old Caucasian male who is motivated by the desire to build muscle and strength and increase his physical attractiveness. Injury prevention, recreational weightlifting, increased endurance, amateur bodybuilding, amateur/recreational sports, and power lifting were surprisingly cited as “rarely endorsed motives.”

The study also notes that anabolic-steroid users are notably different from abusers of other types of drugs (i.e. heroine, cocaine). While users of psychoactive drugs are associated with spontaneous and erratic behavior, steroid users are often characterized by their use of strategic planning to maximize benefit and reduce risks of harm. For instance, the study’s findings indicated that for the majority of anabolic steroid users, carefully planned cycles of use and non-use were strictly abided by in order to allow the body to recover and avoid negative side effects. Furthermore, though injection was the most common form of steroid-intake, the results showed that sharing and reusing needles was rare and the use of clean needles was practiced by a large majority. In other words, as Dr. Daniel Gwartney- one of he study’s authors - points out: “The notions of spontaneous drug seeking and loss of control do not apply to the vast majority of AAS users.”

These findings also bring to light the need to rethink and restructure current policies surrounding steroid abuse. It is clear that the focus of drug-testing on competitive athletes and adolescents leaves out the significant population of steroid-users that do not fall into these categories. In addition, chastising sports figures guilty of steroid use or reminding society of the shame cheating brings to its members will do little to dissuade most AAS users. Rather, more attention needs to be paid to the true motivating factors for steroid use in order to develop proper strategies to fight against such risky behavior.

Rick Collins, co-author to the study, commented: “Effective public policy should begin by accurately identifying who’s using steroids and why. We hope our research—the largest adult survey of non-medical AAS use we know of—is a significant step forward in that direction.”

Research sources and for more information: [Medical News Today], [CBS News], [Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition]

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17 Responses to “Study Shows Typical Steroid User is “Average Joe”” (Leave a reply)

Mr. Loco from california said:

So much for the current public policy of destroying sports figures (especially successful black ones) accused of steroid usage!

When will our stupid government take its collective head out of its rear end?
October 17, 2007 at 12:59 PM
Megan from Washington, DC said:

Great point. And an excellent article. I think this type of research truely opens eyes to the true users of AAS.
October 17, 2007 at 01:39 PM
derek eddy from new york, ny said:

Thanks for the report on steroids. You and the study accurately pointed out what all us middle aged gym rats have known for years, namely that men generally take steroids to increase their muscle mass, stay youthful, live longer (have great sex) and have the energy to exercise more. The war on steroids is part of the greater war being waged against masculinity by the feminist hysteria in this country that is responsible for the punitive measures against men in matrimony and child support laws. In spite of the published stories there has never been a homicide or any death ever tied to steroids. On the other hand estrogen is a known carcinogen. And legal substances like alcohol kill and ruin whole families’ lives every day. Leave us men alone and let us exercise, take Viagra and live like the alpha males we are.
November 22, 2007 at 12:32 AM
drug rehab program from russia said:

Steroids can really damage the user’s health. It can rapidly damage the liver witch can cause death. Don’t people realize that?
January 23, 2008 at 11:20 PM
Hercules from USA said:

The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion. That’s what most people lack, having a correct All Muscle Building campaign with the guts to go on and just say they’ll go through the pain no matter what happens.
April 27, 2008 at 10:57 PM
Drug rehab said:

I like to tell you something about steroids. They aren’t so bad as u heard from newspapers, they won’t give you a “vacation” in drug rehab clinic.The real thing is that some people will have health problems , and some not , exactly like in the case of smoking ...some will die , and some will smoke until 90 years, and will be ok.
June 11, 2008 at 12:53 PM
Amateur said:

Hello Joe!
June 13, 2008 at 03:33 PM
Drug Rehab Programs from Oklahoma said:

Steriods can be very damaging to the body. There are lots of natural supplements that can also help the body grow.
June 23, 2008 at 11:45 AM
Alcohol Drug Treatment from Florida said:

I think that over the last few years that there has been to much importance on steriods. We need to focus on other types of problems like real drug addiction and health.
June 23, 2008 at 11:47 AM
Drug Interventions from Texas said:

Sometimes a person doesn’t recognize that he has a problem with steriods or that they are not healthy.
June 23, 2008 at 11:48 AM
Cristian said:

Such persons could always try to follow an addiction treatment and maybe get better with time because steroids are a real “psychological” problem.
June 25, 2008 at 11:41 AM
Drug rehab Centers from USA said:

I can’t believe that the guy posting under Drug Rehab above can even act like steroids is “not as bad as you think?” I understand your point about some people never having a problem until they are 90, etc, but some people die a lot sooner. I got that, but guess what? That’s the same with any drug! Look at William S. Burroughs for god’s sake! He was addicted to heroin, not his whole life, but lived until he was 83. Whereas his son, was 33! I just don’t understand how you can act like it’s not a big deal.
July 29, 2008 at 11:20 AM
drug test from United States said:

I was a drug addict/alcoholic Hispanic woman until two years ago. After a failed marriage and a lousy home life I ran away from home. At nineteen, I was living on the streets in whatever city I arrived at. My sole goal was to get high no matter what the cost. I got pregnant. When my daughter was 2 months old I got back into the drug scene and started getting real suicidal. I got put into a mental facility and received shock treatments. Nothing helped. At thirty I got hooked on crack, left my girls and attempted suicide again, only to wind up in another loony bin. I finally met a woman who led me to Jesus as the only hope for my life. Today He is my everything. Every dream, every goal, I have in life is to please Him. Irene. “He forgave us all our sins...”
Regards, Susan
October 29, 2008 at 10:43 AM
pass drug test from United States said:

“I started using marijuana when I was 10 years old, graduated to LSD and “"shrooms"” at age 12 and then to heroin, cocaine, crack, and crystal meth at 14. Since most of my family, including my parents, were druggies, I didn’t see much wrong with it. At 14, I dropped out of school and my mom kicked me out on the street. At 16, I was shot in the chest over a $20.00 rock and then overdosed on heroin and nearly died. That was 7 months ago and I am now 7 months “"clean"” thanks to Jesus Christ. I lost years of my life and nearly my life, but Jesus has changed me. I still get tempted but II Peter 1:3 says that “”...His divine power (Christ’s) has given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness..."” It’s His power that gives me all I need to stay “clean”
Regards, Rebecca
November 3, 2008 at 08:36 AM
oliviaharis said:

I had a good experience with Long R3 IGF-1. The results were different than with steroids. I have noticed that steroids cause preferential growth of certain muscles, especially those that are stressed (as in lifting). The IGF-1 though seemed to cause my entire body to get a little thicker. I guess IGF-1 is less compensatory in nature and exerts a more whole-body anabolicity.
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oliviaharis
texas drug rehab
November 14, 2008 at 06:51 AM
Incest pics said:

Steroids are dangerous for health and affect the potency.
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June 25, 2009 at 05:24 PM