Girls’ steroid use on the rise
TRENTON, N.J. “”mdash; An alarming number of American girls, some
as young as nine, is using bodybuilding steroids ““ not
necessarily to get an edge on the playing field, but to get the
toned, sculpted look of models and movie stars, experts say.
Girls are getting their hands on the same dangerous testosterone
pills, shots and creams that have created a scandal in major league
baseball and other sports. Often, these are the same girls who have
eating disorders, according to some research.
“There’s been a substantial increase for girls
during the 1990s, and it’s at an all-time high right
now,” said Charles Yesalis, a professor of health and human
development at Pennsylvania State University.
Lloyd Johnston, a University of Michigan professor who heads an
annual government-sponsored survey on risky behavior by young
people, said, “Other than pedophilia, this is the most secret
behavior I’ve ever encountered.”
Overall, up to about 5 percent of high school girls and 7
percent of middle-school girls admit to trying anabolic steroids at
least once, with use of them rising steadily since 1991, government
and university studies have shown.
Compiled from Bruin wire reports.