If you're under 21 ...
Using steroids before the age of 21 can negatively impact development and growth, which can have serious and long-lasting effects, so to help keep you safe and healthy, focus on your diet and training instead.
If you’re injecting steroids, these tips will help you stay safer.
Using steroids will always carry risk. If you’re injecting steroids, these tips can help you to reduce harm.
Using steroids before the age of 21 can negatively impact development and growth, which can have serious and long-lasting effects, so to help keep you safe and healthy, focus on your diet and training instead.
Steroids alone will not lead to increased muscle mass. Proper food, training and rest are needed.
Using steroids for prolonged periods of time, or at a dose that is too high, can cause your muscles to stop growing, regardless of how much training is completed or the quality of your diet.
Take regular (and long) breaks from steroids - taking at least the same length of time off as you use for is the best way to reduce harm. This is sometimes referred to as a steroid ‘cycle’.
Using steroids for more than 12 weeks in a row can increase your chance of risk.
Using steroids can cause:
Most steroids purchased illicitly are made in underground labs, which makes it difficult to know what you are taking.
Check the contents of the vial or amp before you draw up – the steroids you buy are often not what they say on the label. If you see bits in the fluid and it’s meant to be clear, for example, throw it away as it could be dangerous to use
Remember - the ingredients, strength and purity can vary between manufacturers, so even if you take steroids regularly, the actual dose may differ from batch to batch
Rotate which muscles you inject into – this gives your body time to heal between injections. Injecting into broken, irritated or lumpy skin can increase your risk of infection
Use a new, sterile needle every time – this reduces your risk of injuries and infections
Stick to your own needles, vials and amps – using your own equipment can prevent the spread of blood-borne viruses (BBVS) like hep B, hep C and HIV. You can get clean equipment from any substance use service and many pharmacies
Greens for drawing up, blues for injecting – for injecting steroids, use a green needle to draw up then swap it for a blue needle to inject. A blue needle is long enough to get the fluid into your muscle without hitting a bone
Don't use barrels bigger than 2ml – if you use bigger barrels, you may draw up too much liquid. Injecting too much liquid can cause problems like scarring and abscesses (a pus-filled lump under your skin)
Steroids work on your whole body, not just the area you're injecting into.
The safest places to inject are your glutes, quads and delts.
It’s easier to inject into these bigger muscles, but the below information can help to reduce the risk of hitting blood vessels or nerves.
Avoid injecting into other muscles, as this increases your risk of problems like nerve damage which can affect your training.
Needles and syringe services are free services where steroid users are welcome.
They’re completely confidential. Staff won’t tell anyone that you’ve been there, including your work or GP.
Some services have specialists in steroids and other image and performance-enhancing drugs (IPEDs). Ask if a specialist is available when you go in.
As well as new needles, barrels, swabs and bins, staff can help with:
What to expect when you visit a needle and syringe service
Cleaning your injecting site correctly helps to prevent infections.
Get some medical advice if you have:
Some people take steroid doses in a "cycle". This means that over a period of time, they take multiple doses of steroids, pause, and then start up again.
Your natural hormone production usually stops a few weeks into a cycle.
Some people take post-cycle therapy (PCT) drugs to help kickstart their natural hormones again. These drugs can have side effects and they aren’t always needed – your hormone levels should gradually recover on their own.
In some cases, hormone levels don’t return to normal. If you have signs of steroid crash that aren’t improving, such as lack of sex drive or difficulty getting an erection, get some medical advice.
Remember – time off should equal time on.
We have lots more helpful advice and guides on safer injecting to help you stay safe and healthy.
Needles and syringe services are free services where steroid users are welcome.
They’re completely confidential.
For more advice or to visit us in person, find your local service today.