Teenage Steroid Use – Not Just a Male Issue

Perhaps one of the biggest surprises to anyone who researches the use of steroids by teenagers is the data on young women. Several studies are available that indicate that steroid use among young women actually exceeds that of adolescent males.

In one study, Diane L. Elliot, M.D., of the Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, attempted to assess anabolic steroid use among young women. Selecting a nationally representative sample of 7,544 female students in grades nine through 12, that study revealed that 5.3 percent of the participants had either prior or ongoing steroid use.

However, one key aspect of that study were the percentage of users among female athletes. According to the study, “Participating in team sports was negatively related to anabolic steroid use.”

A startling 2004 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had even higher numbers for female use. The CDC report indicated that 7 percent of ninth-grade girls admitted using anabolic steroids.

As one reads these startling statistics, one cannot help but wonder:

Are these young ladies indeed greater users than their male counterparts? Or are young women simply more honest and willing to admit their use?

Are those young women on sports teams really less apt to be users? Or do athletes fear the consequences of reporting and hence under-report such usage?