Warning as number of steroids seized surges 300%

There has been an explosion in the number of anabolic steroids seized, with quantities in the first eight months of the year up 300% compared to 2016.

The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) has also warned the vast majority of steroids seized are fake and pose a direct risk to consumers.

Anabolic steroids are used to significantly increase lean muscle tissue. Abusers can grow muscle at a greater rate than those relying on diet and training alone. However, side-effects can be extreme, ranging from heart and liver problems to cosmetic damage such as acne, loss of hair, enlarged breasts, and shrunken testes in men, and facial hair growth and changes to sex organs in women. Evidence has also shown that steroids significantly increase aggression in individuals prone to anger.