Brisbane:
18-year-old Mark scrolls through Instagram late at night, where fitness influencers show off their muscles lifting heavy weights. The hashtags and usernames in many of the posts hint that steroid use is behind the muscles.
Influenced, Mark orders his first “steroid cycle” online — no prescription, no warning, just a few vials in the post promising ‘gains‘.
Within a few weeks, he’s sharing photos of his physical transformation and is known as #MegaMark. He’s proud of his progress.
But did you know Mark was unknowingly injecting toxic chemicals?
What did the study find?
A new study of 28 products from Australia’s illegal steroid market has produced startling results. Many of these products contained incorrect label information or did not contain the desired steroid.
Most worryingly, many products contained heavy metals — such as lead, arsenic and cadmium. These metals can cause cancer, heart disease and organ failure when ingested.
What are anabolic steroids and who is using them?
Anabolic steroids are synthetic drugs that mimic the effects of testosterone (the male hormone). They are prescribed by doctors to treat certain conditions, such as hypogonadism, but people often use them to increase muscle mass, improve performance or boost self-confidence.
It is illegal to possess steroids without a prescription in Australia, and can carry a hefty fine or up to 25 years in prison in Queensland.
Despite this, steroids are easily available online or in gyms, leading to a rise in their use among young people.
How was the testing done..?
Researchers tested 28 steroid products from across the country — including 16 injectable oils, 10 tablets, and 2 raw powders.
The results were shocking:
More than 50% of the products were mislabeled or contained completely different drugs.
Some tablets contained much less of the drug than stated.
Only 4 products were as pure as expected.
All products contained some amount of heavy metals.
While the metals were not at immediately harmful levels, they can slowly accumulate in the body in people who use them for a long time, causing serious illnesses.
What should be done next?
The presence of these heavy metals is due to poor quality manufacturing processes, especially in products that come from countries like China.
The raw materials, equipment, or solvents used to make these products may be contaminated, leading to toxic metals in the final product.
Since steroid use is not ending completely, now we need to take steps to deal with the health problems associated with it:
A national steroid testing network must be established.
Testing should be included in health services such as needle-and-syringe programs.
Peer-support programs should be developed, in which people should be given correct information by working with former users and experts.
- Conclusion:
- Steroids used without information and without quality control are not only harmful to physical health, but can also cause cancer and mental damage.
If you or someone you know has used steroids, it is very important to seek medical advice in time and get your health checked.