During the study, experts administered a survey to more than 2,700 teens, from high schools in the Minneapolis area, who were all around 14 years old. They were asked whether they had taken part in any type of muscle building behaviors, such as altered eating behaviors, consumption of protein powders, steroid use, or increased exercise regimens.
The results showed that around 5.9% of boys and 4.6% of girls involved in the study had used steroids, which is illegal without a prescription. In addition, anywhere from 5 to 10% of teens have said they have used creatine or other non-steroid protein products.
Study results also found that Asian students were 3 to 4 times more likely to have tried Legal Steroids in the previous year than their white counterparts. Most of the Asians involved in the study were Hmong, according to lead author of the study Marla Eisen berg and her team.
The researchers believe that media, as well as peers, particularly older adolescents, are major influences on dangerous behavior among young teens, including steroid or protein use.
Dr. Linn Goldberg, from Oregon Health & Science University in Portland said, "Really the pressure to start using (steroids) is in high school. You get the influence of older teens in high school, so when you're a 14 year old that comes in, you have 17 year olds who are the seniors, and they can have great influence as you progress into the next stage of your athletic career."
