Androgenic‐anabolic steroid abuse trend and management: A prospective, cross‐sectional, questionnaire‐based survey

Abstract

Background and Aims Androgenic‐anabolic steroid (AAS) abuse is a global health concern, studies revealing an increasing trend of abuse and deleterious effects on reproductive health. Unfortunately, there is no consensus about management pathways due to the lack of specific guidelines. Methods A prospective study, multicentre, online survey, composed of 30 questions, was conducted to investigate the current trend of AAS abuse and the management followed by practitioners from different specialities dealing with this condition. Results A total of 151 respondents were included. The majority were general urologists (68.21%), andrologists (22.51%), and endocrinologists (9.28%). An increasing trend of AAS abuse was noticed by 90.73% of participants mostly in young age populations. Most of AAS abusers were presented with infertility (64.24%) and erectile dysfunction (59.60%), and their investigations showed abnormal semen analysis (77.48%), abnormal hormones (follicle‐stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, testosterone, and estradiol) (94.70%), and reduction in testicular size (50.33%). Most of respondents expected: the need of long duration for spontaneous recovery (6–12 months), relapse of AAS abuse in one‐third of patients, less knowledge about the adverse effects (39.74%), and risk of drug dependence (54.30%). Immediate treatment was the most offered plan of management (44.37%) followed by a waiting spontaneous recovery (32.45%), while the remaining would refer the patients to an either endocrinologist or andrologist. The treating physicians did not follow specific guidelines and most of participants (44.44%) reverted to their personal experience in the management. Conclusions Our study revealed an increasing trend of AAS abuse, deleterious effects of AAS use on reproductive health, and lack of consensuses among the treating physicians regarding the management of related adverse effects. Our study could be considered a call to the scientific bodies to have more studies, establish guidelines for management, and to have better awareness of this serious public health concern.

Illegal Use of Testosterone and Other Anabolic–Androgenic Steroids in the Population of Amateur Athletes in Wrocław, Poland—An Unfavorable Lifestyle Trend in the Population of Men of Reproductive Age

“…Our results are in line with the results of Al Hashimi et al [40]. The authors, with an online survey composed of 30 questions conducted among urologists, andrologists, and endocrinologists, showed that the most common age categories of anabolic-androgenic steroids users were 20-30 years (74.83%) and 30-40 years (13.25%) [40]. Similarly, Montuori et al showed that the average age of hormone users was 32.42 years [11].…”

“…Regarding the age of the people using testosterone and other anabolic-androgenic steroids, the results additionally showed that men aged 26-30 are 2.62 times more likely to use them than men aged 18-25, and men aged 31-35 are 3.24 times more likely to use them than men aged 18-25. Our results are in line with the results of Al Hashimi et al [40]. The authors, with an online survey composed of 30 questions conducted among urologists, andrologists, and endocrinologists, showed that the most common age categories of anabolic-androgenic steroids users were 20-30 years (74.83%) and 30-40 years (13.25%) [40].…”