How Substance Use Patterns Shape Perceived Cardiac Concern Among An International Sample of Men Who Use Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids.
Among men using anabolic-androgenic steroids, injectable forms are associated with a significantly higher risk of self-reported cardiovascular concerns compared to oral forms.
Where it sits
this study against the rest of the hgh (somatropin) corpusSummary and findings
This study examined self-reported cardiovascular concerns among 1167 males who used anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) in the past year. It found that 35.7% reported such concerns, with injectable AAS use showing a strong association with these concerns (OR=10.57, p<0.001). The study also explored the impact of concurrent substance use, including human growth hormone (HGH).
Abstract
<h4>Background</h4>Cardiovascular side effects are commonly reported by men who use anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS), yet little is known about the factors that increase risk. This study examines data from the 2024 Global Drug Survey (GDS2024) to identify whether route of administration (ROA), image-and performance enhancing drug (IPED) polypharmacy and licit substance use are associated with self-reported cardiovascular-related concerns.<h4>Methods</h4>The dataset comprised 1167 males (≥16 years) who had used AAS within the previous 12 months. Descriptive statistics summarized demographic and substance use characteristics. Chi-square tests explored associations between self-reported cardiovascular side effects and ROA (oral vs injectable), IPED polypharmacy, and licit substance use respectively. Independent predictors were identified through multivariable binary logistic regression. Associations between substances were investigated using pairwise models. Visualizations included heatmaps, bar charts, forest plots, trend stability, and performance comparisons across models.<h4>Results</h4>Showed that, among AAS consumers, 35.7% reported a self-reported cardiovascular-related concern. Alcohol (79.4%), tobacco (42.0%), and E-cigarette use (40.5%) were prevalent among AAS consumers. Clenbuterol use differed significantly by ROA, reported by 28.4% of oral and 24.3% of injectable AAS consumers. Injectable AAS use was strongly associated with concurrent human hormone growth (HGH) and insulin use. In adjusted models, injectable AAS use showed the strongest association with self-reported cardiovascular-related concerns (OR = 10.57, <i>P</i> < .001), followed by oral AAS use (OR = 1.92, <i>P</i> < .001) and clenbuterol use (OR = 1.44, <i>P</i> = .044). Age, HGH, insulin, alcohol, tobacco, and e-cigarette use were not significantly associated with cardiovascular-related concerns. Pairwise analyses indicated that clenbuterol-containing substance combinations were associated with higher odds of reporting cardiovascular-related concerns, highlighting the relevance of ROA and patterns of concurrent substance use.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Negative cardiovascular health concerns among AAS consumers are most strongly associated with oral routes and use of substances like clenbuterol.
Background
This paper addresses the relationship between substance use patterns and perceived cardiac concerns in men who use anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS). Prior research has indicated that AAS use can be associated with various health risks, including cardiovascular issues. Understanding how users perceive these risks is crucial for developing effective harm reduction strategies.
Methods
Not reported in abstract.
Results
Not reported in abstract.
Interpretation
Not reported in abstract.
Key findings
- Not reported in abstract.
Limitations
- Not reported in abstract.