Selling androgenic anabolic steroids by the pound: identification and analysis of popular websites on the Internet

Abstract

Internet websites offering androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS) were identified and available products were examined. Keywords for the website search were: "anabolic steroids," "anabolic steroids buy," "anabolic steroid purchase." The first 10 websites offering AAS in the first 10 pages of results were considered. At least two AAS-containing products per website were selected. Thirty AAS-selling websites were identified, mainly located in the United States (46.7%) and Europe (30%). Most websites sold other anabolic/ergogenic products (clenbuterol, 76.7%; GH/IGF, 60.0%; thyroid hormones, 46.7%; erythropoietin, 30.0%; insulin, 20.0%) or products for AAS-related adverse effects (mainly: estrogen antagonists, 63.3%; products for erectile dysfunction, 56.7%; 5α-reductase inhibitors, 33.3%; anti-acne products, 33.3%). AAS were sold as medicines (69.6%) or as dietary supplements (30.4%). AAS in medicines were mainly: nandronole (20.4%), methandrostenolone (18.4%), and testosterone (12.2%). Dietary supplements contained mainly DHEA and included several fake compounds. Manufacturers were declared for 97.9% of medicines and 66.7% of dietary supplements; however, several manufacturers were not found on the Internet. Described benefits were usually few adverse effects and no estrogenicity. Toxicity was seldom reported and presented as mild. Recommended doses were two-fourfold higher than current medical recommendations. In conclusion, misleading information and deceiving practices were common findings on AAS-selling websites, indicating their deleterious potential for public health.

The Availability and Acquisition of Illicit Anabolic Androgenic Steroids and Testosterone Preparations on the Internet

“…Nearly half of sites recommended specific AAS "cycles" or "stacks" at doses twofold to fourfold higher than medically recommended, but less than a third described the risk with AAS use with most side effects characterized as "mild" (Cordaro et al, 2011). Uniquely, this study cross-referenced advertised chemical names with online chemical databases and determined many products to be counterfeit (Cordaro et al, 2011).…”

“…Nearly half of sites recommended specific AAS "cycles" or "stacks" at doses twofold to fourfold higher than medically recommended, but less than a third described the risk with AAS use with most side effects characterized as "mild" (Cordaro et al, 2011). Uniquely, this study cross-referenced advertised chemical names with online chemical databases and determined many products to be counterfeit (Cordaro et al, 2011). In contrast to the findings in the present study, only one site offered a refund or reshipment in the event of customs seizure, and two sites required a minimum amount for shipments to military (APO/AE) addresses (Cordaro et al, 2011).…”

“…To date, only a handful of other studies have characterized the information available on the Internet for AAS consumption or AAS agents available for purchase (Brennan et al, 2013;Clement et al, 2012;Cordaro et al, 2011;Cramer et al, 2005). While the methods were unscientific and poorly described, the first and only study to evaluate in detail the purchasing process of AAS over the Internet without a prescription was a 2005 report from the USGAO (Cramer et al, 2005).…”

“…More recently, an Italian study using a Google search evaluated 30 websites advertising AAS for sale reported numerous AAS products available per site including non-AAS hormones (40% to 60%), postcycle recovery agents (20% to 60%), ED agents (56%), and other agents to minimize AAS toxicity (3% to 33%) (Cordaro et al, 2011). Nearly half of sites recommended specific AAS "cycles" or "stacks" at doses twofold to fourfold higher than medically recommended, but less than a third described the risk with AAS use with most side effects characterized as "mild" (Cordaro et al, 2011).…”

“…Likewise, a 2005 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (USGAO) suggested that nearly half of websites offering AAS actually sell them over the Internet, with the remaining sites serving as fake storefronts or shipping counterfeit products (Cramer, Kaneshiro, Rodriguez, & Egan, 2005). Other data have more comprehensively evaluated the quantity and quality of information available on the Internet for AAS consumption, but characterization of the online availability and purchasing process of AAS has been poorly described (Brennan, Kanayama, & Pope, 2013;Clement, Marlowe, Patapis, Festinger, & Forman, 2012;Cordaro, Lombardo, & Cosentino, 2011). Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the availability and ease of purchase for AAS, testosterone, and other non-AAS therapies on the Internet from the perspective of a typical consumer.…”