Endocrine Society supports policies that prevent the illegal and non-medical uses of steroids

Main Category: Endocrinology
Article Date: 02 Aug 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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In light of yesterday's Public Health Advisory from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning consumers to immediately stop using all body-building products that claim to contain steroids or steroid-like substances, The Endocrine Society is re-issuing its Position Statement on Steroid Abuse initially launched in 2008.

The Endocrine Society supports policies that prevent the illegal and non-medical uses of steroids, calls for enhanced detection of steroid abuse among professional and amateur athletes, and greater education to deter teenagers and others from putting their health in jeopardy through steroid doping. The statement also supports the appropriate clinical use of anabolic steroids.

The warning issued by the FDA follows reports of potentially serious health risks such as acute liver injury and kidney failure associated with the use of these body-building products. These products are often promoted to consumers and athletes to improve sports performance and aid in recovery from training and sports activities.

In its warning, the FDA states that although products containing synthetic steroids are frequently marketed as dietary supplements, they are not dietary supplements, but instead are unapproved new drugs that have not been reviewed by the FDA for safety and effectiveness.

The Society stresses that there is a definitive line between abuse and appropriate clinical use such as the treatment of syndromes of hormone deficiency and HIV/AIDS wasting with anabolic steroids.

Dr. Daniel Spratt
Representative of The Endocrine Society (TES)
Director of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Maine Medical Center
Member of The Hormone Foundation's Hormone Abuse Task Force

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