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Social Media, Body Dissatisfaction, and Anabolic Steroid Abuse in Adolescents: Connections
and Solutions
In Partial Fulfillment of AP Seminar
Word Count: 1888
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In previous years, the rise of social media and its accompanying mental health risks have
led to many unforeseen impacts. One of the most important of these was the negative self-image
many develop after spending excessive time on these platforms. Image-centric platforms such as
Facebook and Instagram have had the largest contribution to this issue, leading to obsession with
outward appearance and idealized perceptions. As stated by Rachel Monroe (2021), “The more
we began documenting our own lives for public consumption, meanwhile, the more we became
aware of ourselves…” (pp. 6). This includes many aspects of how people present themselves, but
can also be linked back to various unhealthy practices intended to help adolescents reach the
beauty standards set by social media. One such practice rising in prevalence amongst adolescents
is anabolic-androgenic steroid (or AAS) abuse. The category of AAS includes testosterone, its
synthetic derivatives, and selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMS), all of which have
the goal of increasing muscle mass and strength. The use of these substances is intended to
improve athletic performance and body image but ultimately has many irreversible side effects,
especially in adolescents. Given this alarming prevalence of anabolic steroid use in adolescents,
what methods would be most effective in limiting both AAS access and use causes to prevent
their negative physiological effects on this developing age group? Given the current research
surrounding the topic the implementation of practical educational programs is the most efficient
and effective solution.
While many of the dangers surrounding the use of AAS are well researched, this
knowledge does not currently appear to deter their use amongst adolescents. While this
knowledge is available, those considering the use of AAS do not seem to readily seek education
on the topic. This was explained by Sam Wright (2009), a research associate at Manchester
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Metropolitan University, in his statement, “There is a large degree of mistrust among steroid
users towards medical warnings about the possible consequences of using steroids” (p. 93). This
shows that information against the use of AAS simply being available has not been enough to
deter their use. Often users will obtain information on the safety of the drug from peers and other
inaccurate sources rather than those with real data on their potential physiological impacts. A
study by Stale Pallesen (2006), a professor of psychology at the University of Bergen, found,
“that a large proportion of adolescents have access to models that have used or use anabolic
steroids” (p. 1712). Oftentimes these models are the source of AAS acquisition and knowledge
regarding the subject. This leaves many adolescents with a lack of genuine knowledge
surrounding the risk factors of AAS.
While it has been demonstrated adolescents oftentimes lack proper education on the
dangers of AAS, it is still vital to determine the causes of AAS use. While AAS use is often
thought of in regard to performance enhancement amongst competitive athletes, the majority of
the time this is not the case. Oftentimes, according to Willem de Ronde (2020), a researcher at
Amsterdam University Medical Center, the majority of AAS abuse is non-competitive and
internally motivated. This means an increase in internal factors which predict steroid use such as
low body image or self-esteem is an important angle to study while combating AAS use. By
understanding these factors the motivations for abusing AAS can be limited, therefore lowering
the population of adolescents who feel inclined to use them. One such factor that contributes to
steroid use, poor body image, has been found to be increasing in recent years. According to
Himanshu et. al. (2020), a researcher in medicine and psychology, “social media influence and
increasing screen time seems to be a factor in declining body image” and “growing body
dysmorphia especially among adolescent age group is a cause of concern” (p. 2). With these two
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findings, it can be understood social media has been impacting the body image of adolescents,
thus leading to AAS abuse as an easy method to reach the idealized body standards they see on
these platforms. This was further backed by Scott Griffiths et al. (2018), a researcher at the
University of Texas, who stated “there was a pattern of small-sized positive relationships of
social media and dating app use with body dissatisfaction, eating disorder symptoms, and
thoughts about using anabolic steroids” (p. 5). The links found in these studies between the use
of social media and thoughts about the use of anabolic steroids show there is more to the issue
than simply discouraging their use for a competitive advantage. For instance, drug tests in school
athletic programs would be unable to catch, and therefore help, students who are not taking part
in formal athletic programs. Only by tackling the underlying issues of self-esteem and providing
scientifically backed information on the dangers of AAS use can adolescents be soundly
convinced to avoid these harmful substances.
In order to meet these requirements, the best solution for AAS abuse in adolescents is the
widespread implementation of the ATLAS program or similar counterparts. According to Mary
M. Mulcahey et al. (2010), a doctor of biochemistry, “The program consisted of ten 45-minute
interactive classroom sessions and 3 exercise sessions regarding sports nutrition, exercise
alternatives, effects of substance abuse in sports, drug refusal role-playing, and creation of health
promotion messages” (p. 110). The comprehensive nature of the program allows it to cover
many aspects of athletic training, nutrition, body composition, and the relation of AAS to these
topics. This allows not only for education on the dangers of AAS but also the setting of realistic
standards and goals for growth in muscle and performance. A study by Linn Goldberg et al.
(1996), a professor of medicine at Oregon Health & Science University, found that “Under both
analysis models, players exposed to the intervention were more likely than control players to
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increase their belief that they had a ‘good’ body” (p. 718). By setting achievable expectations
and making adolescents aware they are being exposed to unrealistic goals their body image can
be improved and their odds of using AAS decrease. Even further than this the program provides
scientifically backed information on the dangers of AAS use, which has proven effective in
dispelling the distrust of medical warnings surrounding these drugs. In addition, the program is
one of the most cost-effective solutions to the issue. In one implementation of the program,
equipment costed only $3000, making it possible to implement across schools with little
adaptation in budgeting.
With the capability of the program to reduce steroid use established, the benefits of
reducing AAS use in adolescents must be made clear. The foremost reason for such an
intervention would be the many health risks that accompany the use of AAS. Thiago
Gagliano-Jucá and Shehzad Basaria (2019), researchers on men’s aging, health, and metabolism,
stated that there were negative impacts on the health of the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular,
reproductive, dermatologic, and neuropsychiatric systems. These impacts are only further
exacerbated by the continual development of adolescents. Hormone balances that are impacted
by AAS use cause even more harm to adolescents who use these products. For instance,
according to Robert C. Hickson et. al. (1989), a physical education researcher at the University
of Illinois, “It is well documented that anabolic steroids exert negative actions on circulating
testosterone levels in both patients and athletes” (p. 261). Testosterone is an essential hormone in
developing adolescents which connects to both bodily and cognitive development. Adverse
impacts on testosterone’s natural production after using steroids therefore will have even more
profound danger for developing adolescents. In a study on these connections Tuong-Vi Nguyen
et al. (2012), an assistant professor in developmental neuroimaging, stated, “findings were
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compatible with the view that testosterone influences brain development, that this influence
changes with age and sex, and further suggested sex-related hemispheric lateralization effects of
testosterone” (p. 1430). These vital developments are greatly influenced by the loss of natural
testosterone production caused by AAS use. Furthermore, lowering AAS prevalence in this age
group would create a cyclical effect in which a lack of unrealistic comparisons further removes
incentives to abuse steroids. According to Luuk Hilkens et al. (2021), an exercise physiologist,
some “[p]ossible explanations why social media may cause body dissatisfaction include the
continuous physical appearance comparisons with idealized images of models and peers” (p. 2).
As the number of peers using AAS decreases the likelihood of use decreases with it, creating an
effect in which the number of people on AAS continually decreases. It is also important to
recognize that this effect works the other way, making the immediate implementation of these
programs necessary to stop the increasing rates of AAS abuse.
Despite the appeal of these programs, however, many still believe them to be ineffective
compared to simply eliminating the supply of AAS to adolescents. The belief these programs are
not taken seriously and that adolescents set on steroid use will ignore their message is prevalent.
One study in support of this was conducted by Kathy T. Do et. al. (2020), who found that
“[p]articipants had above-chance rates… of resisting than conforming to conflicting attitudes” (p.
27). This shows that adolescents are likely to resist conflicting attitudes, which, if they are in a
risk group for steroid abuse, includes the messages of the ATLAS program. This would
inevitably lead to the conclusion that limiting the supply of steroids so they are impossible for
adolescents to obtain would be the best solution to the AAS epidemic. While this at first sounds
appealing, further research shows that it is largely impossible to implement. Steroids are often
obtained through unprofessional third-party sources such as the internet, friends, and other illegal
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means. J. Abram McBride et. al. (2016), a physician at Urological Associates, found “the
demand for designer AAS to avoid legal detection ensures the continued growth of the AAS
market, particularly on the Internet” (p. 4). The predominant presence of the AAS market on
both the internet and in illegal dealing means eliminating supply would be an almost impossible
undertaking. Additionally, it would be far more expensive than implementing educational
programs. These two factors point to the use of the ATLAS program on a wider scale as the most
effective method for quelling the AAS epidemic.
From the previously shown evidence, it can be seen that AAS use among adolescents is a
growing and important issue. The negative health and growth impacts of AAS on this age group
combined with their high susceptibility to risk factors for its use have led to a growing
population of those afflicted. In order to prevent this, the ATLAS program is the most
cost-effective and viable method. It has been proven to reduce misconceptions surrounding
steroids and reduce the likelihood of their use. Additionally, it would be reasonably cheap
compared to alternative solutions such as attempts to destroy the supply of AAS to adolescents.
Going forward both sides of this issue must be better understood to reverse the ongoing damage
of this epidemic. Not only must education on steroids themselves be emphasized, but the poor
self-image which most often results in their use must be examined as well. Additionally,
image-centric social media platforms responsible for adolescents’ unrealistic expectations must
be addressed. If we do not take these steps, an increasing number of children will become reliant
on these harmful substances, creating a culture of unhealthy competition that ends with no
winners.
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