How Britain's got hooked on steroids: 500,000 are now addicted to ... trends now
Steroid addiction has increased tenfold over the last decade and specialists say the UK is 'sleepwalking into a health crisis'.
Half a million people - mostly young men - are addicted to physique enhancers, according to experts at Priory mental health services. They say social media and reality TV shows drive them to pursue unrealistic body goals.
Anabolic steroids are classified as class C drugs, meaning they are prescription-only, but they are readily available illegally online or via social media.
Half a million people - mostly young men - are addicted to physique enhancers, according to experts at Priory mental health services. Pictured above, personal trainer and author, James Smith, in 2022 after coming off steroids
Dr William Shanahan, clinical director of addictions at Priory's Roehampton Hospital, said many users are unaware of the risks which range from 'increased anxiety levels, depression' to 'erectile dysfunction and fertility issues… prostate cancer, and so much more.'
He said: 'Ten years ago there were an estimated 50,000 users of image and performance-enhancing drugs in the UK, but we suspect this number may now be rocketing above 500,000.'
There is concern young men may take steroids to try to emulate the bodies they see on Love Island — a new series of which started this week.
Contestants on the show have openly admitted to taking the drugs before.
Last year a well-known previous contestant on the show, Tom Powell, said steroids are his 'poison' and decided not to stop taking them despite needing breast reduction surgery as a result.
More than 90 per cent of anabolic steroid users are men, according to a 2016 National IPEDinfo Survey, but Dr Shanahan says poor data makes it hard to know exactly how many there are.
Past estimates from crime statistics and the UK anti-doping agency have ranged from 302,000 to 1million steroid users.
He said: 'My fear is we are sleepwalking into a health crisis, especially for young men.'
Steroid use is widespread on social media with users posting before and after pictures and sharing tips on where to buy the drugs and how to use them.
On TikTok, videos under the hashtag 'steroids' have 307.8million views, while #steroidtransformation has 52.9million views.
Dr David McLaughlan, consultant psychiatrist at Priory and co-founder of Jitai, an app that helps people quit or reduce drinking, said the videos are 'warping' ordinary men's body images.
