Steroid Users make an “Educated Choice”

An article by reporter Ian Gerard published in The Australian supports a growing body of research regarding the profile of the typical user of anabolic steroids — research that “challenges the conventional wisdom that steroid users are angry young men prone to outbursts of fury.”  The survey, funded by the Australian government, found that a majority had a university degree or held down a professional job.  “They are a very unusual group of drug users,” said a study co-author.  “They get an incredible amount of information about their drug of choice before they commence use and the vast majority of them try to use it as responsibly as possible.”  The survey co-authors found that this is “a group that has an interest in health and physical activity, they are very regular gym-goers, are interested in diet and nutrition and draw on all kinds of research.”  More than 90 per cent said the benefits of steroids outweighed any associated health risks.  The research failed to document severe psychological side effects, such as so-called “roid rage.”  “This study showed that realistically if you’re someone who has a temper this isn’t the drug for you, but it’s not going to turn a harmless man into a murderer,” a co-author reported.  The research was prompted by state and territory police chiefs to help focus law-enforcement operations against non-medical steroid users.