Excess deaths
A 2024 study published in JAMA tracked 1,189 Danish anabolic steroid users over 11 years and found they were nearly three times more likely to die than non-users. Excess deaths came from cardiovascular disease, violent crime and suicide.
The UK does not track this. The ONS does not report steroid-related deaths in its mortality statistics. There is no way to know how many men in the UK are dying from consequences of steroid use.
Imprisonment
A separate Danish study published in 2019 tracked 545 steroid users over 11 years and found they were nine times more likely to be imprisoned than non-users. Nearly one in five of the 545 users were imprisoned for violent crimes.
The aggression and impulsivity associated with steroid use, particularly compounds like trenbolone and high-dose testosterone, are well-documented in clinical literature. Combined with the criminal networks involved in supply, the link between steroid use and criminal behaviour is clear.
The supply chain
Anabolic steroids are Class C under the Misuse of Drugs Act, but their Schedule 4 classification means possession for personal use is legal while supply remains a criminal offence. This has created a thriving black market.
How it works
Users find suppliers through social media comments, influencer promotions, or by searching “buy test” or “buy tren” on any major platform. From there, they are pushed to Discord or Telegram channels where suppliers post menus of 30+ compounds, HGH, insulin, SARMs and experimental peptides. Payment is through cryptocurrency, PayPal or bank transfer to fake business names. Products are delivered through postal and courier services.
No quality control
Products are routinely manufactured in unclean environments by unlicensed individuals. In one Vice documentary, a producer disclosed that cigarette ash would fall into the injectable oil during production. Roughly 1 in 4 underground lab samples don't contain what the label states.
The UK data void
We are making policy in the dark. Without data, there is no way to understand the scale of steroid-related crime and death in the UK, and no way to design an effective response.