OTC ANABOLIC STEROIDS POSE UNKNOWN RISKS

nabolic steroids have been misused in sports for quite some years. They are consumed in hopes of building muscle and shortening re-covery time from intense training or injury. There are many documented adverse health effects from their long-term use. The International Olympic Committee has banned the use of these drugs since 1976, as have many other sports organizations. Anabolic steroids are now classified as con-trolled substances, making possession without a pre-scription an offense, but abuse remains rampant. It was recently reported that their use is common in major league baseball (1). A recent survey indicated that as many as 550,000 adolescents, including 175,000 girls, have used anabolic steroids at leas