Frequency of Anabolic Steroids Abuse in Bodybuilder Athletes in Kerman City†This article has been published in the Journal of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences in Persian language.
BACKGROUND
Athletes, especially bodybuilders, abuse anabolic steroid drugs to improve their strength and enhance their muscle growth and appearance. This study was conducted to determine the type and frequency of anabolic steroids abuse in bodybuilder athletes in Kerman City.


METHODS
A confidential questionnaire which included demographic data (age, education), name of abused anabolic drug and duration of drug abuse was completed by 202 bodybuilder athletes, and the collected data were analyzed using Chi Square test. A value of p < 0.05 was considered significant.


RESULTS
The frequency of anabolic steroid abuse was 18.8%. The mean period of bodybuilding activity was significantly higher in those used the anabolic drugs (38.8 months), comparing to those did not use any drugs (14.3 months). Oxymetholone was the most common drug used by athletes (42% merely used Oxymetholone). The frequency of anabolic steroids abuse was not related to education and age of the bodybuilder athletes.


CONCLUSIONS
Bodybuilder athletes in Kerman city abuse anabolic steroids, and the health care system should plan to inform them about anabolic steroid adverse effects.
Professor of Pharmacology, Neuroscience and Physiology Research Centers, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Gholamreza
G
Sepehri
General Practitioner, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Majid
M
Mousavi Fard
Medical Student, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Ehsan
E
Sepehri
Anabolic steroid; Bodybuilder athletes; Drug abuse